Disengaging From Negative People

Many people who we come into contact with everyday have difficulty being accountable for own lives. Rather than take responsibility for their choices, they often become defensive, blame others, and/or play mind games trying to protect their own ego. People stuck in these toxic patterns can deplete our energies, drain our resources and are destructive to our lives. When we interact or are in relationship with them, we think we have to play the same games to defend or protect ourselves, yet this only leads to deeper confusion, more conflict, and erodes our true sense of ourselves.

The best way to detach from people who engage in such negativity is to detach from the “hook” of their patterns. To do this, we must first be consciously aware of the source of our own vulnerabilities and take note of which people and situations push our emotional buttons and trigger our reactions. The stronger our reactions are, the more deeply seated our vulnerability is to that particular person, situation,  or pattern. When we see such unresolved emotions emerge, we can release them privately or with a trusted friend. Reacting to any situation by getting upset, will only entrench us more deeply in the undesirable relationship. Only by pausing, opening our heart, and engaging our inner wisdom can we recognize the negative pattern that has hooked us into the toxic situation. The more we practice healthy detachment, the less we will react to the others and respond proactively. In light of our new conscious awareness, the situation will resolve or dissolve itself.

Whenever people come into your life, they often show you something about yourself that you need to release or transform. Remind yourself that you have the ability to pause, the power to disengage, and the knowledge of who you truly are. Take the focus off the troubling individual and place it on yourself, as an opportunity to illuminate and shift the situation from the inside out. If you change yourself in response to any person, then the relationship will change.

Practice healthy detachment by letting go of the daily irritations and disappointments without taking them to heart. Disengage from other people’s toxic patterns, mindsets, and expectations that set you up for constant upheaval. Begin your day in gratitude, knowing that there are challenges ahead and trusting that you are never given more than you can handle.