Toxic:

 

Image reads: "I once thought I was toxic, and in some ways I was. But the truth is, I became toxic as a defense mechanism. I'm not toxic to those who treat me with kindness, respect, and love. I'm caring, kind, and affectionate until I'm given a reason not to be."

It isn't toxic to ask for respect, I avoid unsafe spaces, I don't recruit or condone hate campaigns or any abuse or sabotage. I don't disrespect people in those ways and I'm allowed to not want to be treated as such.

I'm going through a lot right now and I'm trying to make the best decisions without the support I should have in place by now.

I may not always get it right but at least when I make mistakes it's not harmful to others and I learn and fix myself from them.

I may not be understood but I need to fight for me now, I've been watered down and mistreated so long that I'm saying no from this point forward to it all.

I deserve respect and kindness and have done nothing to warrant all the hardship I've had or how I've been targeted. How others behave can be extremely harmful and they refuse to acknowledge that they're being harmful so I'm left without closure.

I grant myself closure and healing and have shed a huge weight off my shoulders that should have never been placed there in the first place.

It's not toxic to want communication, support, apologies, kindness, recognition and inclusion. 

It's toxic when people deny others of that and pretend they're doing it cause they're nice people, there's nothing nice about sabotage.

My mental health comes first and I'm allowed to let go of burdens I never asked for and never wanted.

I want to heal.

I want to fix what they broke and I want basic human decency and respect.

Nothing more.

Sarah Wingfield 🌹