Identifying Toxic Behaviour In Yourself

Not everyone is perfect, and I think that is something we all realize about ourselves. We are nothing close to perfect. However, there are always aspects of ourselves that we improve on, whether that be in relationships, friendships, mental health, or even in your work environment.

Sometimes our own behavioural traits may inevitably conflict with our surroundings from time to time, especially if that behaviour turns into toxic characteristics. However, when it comes to toxic traits within us, it is hard to realize that sometimes our behaviour can be harmful to the people around us. 

Especially if these toxic traits are causing you problems in your everyday life, we often tend to blame the people around us for the reason things aren't working out the way we planned. Still, it always takes an emotionally mature person to look inwards and see where they play a part in the situation surrounding them.

Ask Yourself: Are You Self Aware?
Being self-aware means being open and honest with yourself and doing the much-needed work to improve your behavioural habits. Constantly checking in with yourself can help you realize that the problem isn't always the other person's fault.

But what are some toxic traits that stand out within us or others that can cause these constant issues within our lives?
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Negativity:
One of the biggest traits that stand out is negativity. So ask yourself this question, "Am I constantly approaching situations from a negative mindset?"
If that sounds like something you do, many of us use this as a defence mechanism to protect ourselves from going out on a limb, avoiding change, or taking a risk. But unfortunately, having a negative mindset can affect every aspect of your life. It can take a complete toll on your mental health and others around you.

We as humans tend to give a lot of our attention to the negative aspects of our life. The things we don't have, the things we want more of, but often we forget to pause for a minute to realize all that we have around us and all we have to be grateful for.

Being Judgemental:
Are you judging others for how they're living their lives? Do you judge others when they confide in you with personal information?
Just remember, someone else's life is their life, and your life is yours. Focusing too much on someone else's life tells how you feel about yourself and your own situation. Choosing to focus on someone else's life showcases your insecurities within yourself. Learn to work through the problems you feel within yourself and focus on yourself.

Taking No Responsibility:
Not taking responsibility for your actions is a common trait and a sign of immaturity as well. Being emotionally mature and self-aware means that you are able and willing to admit when you're wrong. Unfortunately, this toxic trait goes hand in hand with not apologizing when you do something wrong, which leads to many relationship and friendship problems.
It's essential to take responsibility in those vulnerable situations, and when you're able to do this, it will help others realize that you are willing to change and work on yourself.​

What To Do If You Have Toxic Traits?

When it comes to changing your behavioural habits, you already acknowledge a part of yourself that you may have avoided changing. So when you start your journey of self-awareness, it's important to be honest with yourself, even if it means asking yourself those tricky questions about the past and reflecting.

Everyone has parts of themselves they want to improve on. Remember that no one is perfect, no matter how much you think someone is. The first step to bettering yourself is recognizing the areas you need to improve on.
It's all about working on your self-awareness and growing as an individual.