I had to leave those toxic people behind. Since then, I have grown as a more productive and positive person. That doesn't mean I don't experience a range of emotions. What it does mean is that I now live without a weight of yuckiness on my shoulder.

Thank you for writing this. So many times, the negative people are our family members and we don't want to be disrespectful. But putting some distance between them and oneself can open a whole new world to one that has been living under that dark cloud.