Assess how you feel around people. One useful way to determine if people are toxic is to pay attention to how you feel around them. You can "check in" at certain points while you are around people. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I feeling drained right now? Does it seem like the person is draining my emotions?
- Am I walking on eggshells? Am I afraid to say the wrong thing because they might react negatively?
- Am I ignoring my own voice? Is the person making it hard for me to listen to myself and follow my own values?
- Do I feel smaller and less important around this person?
