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Broadwaybabyto's avatar

Thank you for sharing such an honest and vulnerable account of difficult breakups. I’ve been through quite a few myself - including feeling “lucky” to have someone so caring only to realize that it was a toxic situation and struggle to extricate myself.

It can be SO hard to forgive ourselves and I think you’re doing a tremendous service to yourself and others by sharing your struggles with it 💜

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Kate's avatar

Thank you - it is so hard, but so worth it. At least in my experience.

I'm sorry you've also experienced toxic relationships. I wish they were easier to notice and easier to get away from (or that society changed enough so that they never happen).

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Broadwaybabyto's avatar

Sadly I feel like most of us will experience a toxic relationship at least once in our life. We aren’t taught the skills to identify them OR the skills to extricate ourselves. It’s why sharing our stories is SO important.

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Kate's avatar

I keep thinking about this comment and how to change it so fewer people end up in toxic relationships. I think ultimately, since our culture is so toxic, in that we are valued for what we do, not just because we exist, we are set up to expect toxic behaviours. Probably most of us have a toxic relationship with ourself, so maybe that's the place to start. Teach people (ourselves) how to be kind and compassionate to them/ourselves, so they/we expect it from others.

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Broadwaybabyto's avatar

I think you’re right. We have a culture that assigns value based on economic contributions instead of intrinsic value. We have dreadfully few examples of good and kind leaders (cough - Trump). It makes it VERY hard to learn your worth and how to avoid toxic situations.

Another reason that sharing stories is so valuable - you never know who might read and come away better for it!

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