Here are three of the most common excuses for staying in a toxic relationship, and a script for you to rebut every point. Keep your self-esteem intact while moving on with your life.
1. Your partner isn’t really that bad— he/she is just under a lot of stress.
Are you kidding me? How about the stress that you’re under? Living with a toxic relationship is critically stressful. Does that give them the right to treat the person they “love” like a piece of dirt? In times of stress, you should be there for each other. That excuse isn’t acceptable. You deserve better.
2. You won’t have anywhere to go if you leave.
You may have created a situation where you’ve become dependent on your partner, but you have options. There are friends and family and community groups that will be all too willing to help you now that you’ve finally decided to put your best interest first. It may be hard for a while, but this has been harder and you’re ready to start over with your head held high.
3. You will be alone for the rest of your life.
Nobody wants to be alone for the rest of their life, but that is actually how you’ve felt in this relationship: alone. Why would you stay any longer? You should focus on starting a new life and feeling good about your choices, rather than looking for a partner to “complete” you. If you want someone else to love you like you deserve, you’d better start taking better care of yourself.
Making the decision to leave any relationship isn’t easy. In addition to your own inner voice challenging you, your friends, family and partner may try to convince to stick it out. It’s scary to start again, but the freedom is exhilarating and the future that awaits you is full of possibility.