Their ignorance is not my truth.
Their insecurities are not my truth.
Their pain is theirs to bear,
And not mine to believe.

This was a mantra I created based on a recent event, where one toxic person compared to another one who can still hurt them in some ways.

Of course it stung, and I’m certain there will be a time where that will be expressed. Not that it would amount to anything but them doubling down on their beliefs. But I have to remember that, if left alone with their choices, results can vary for anyone reflecting on their painful actions, if they do at all.

Narcissists will do their best to deflect their faults onto any target. If they do it to family, they expect a version of love to remain intact afterwards. That can be true for friends and lovers, too. Meanwhile, someone doing the healing work refuses to ignore the cracks in that logic, and similar to what I said above, they will act accordingly.

They’ve more than earned the right to sit in their painful patterns, and they’ll do what they can to make you a pincushion or a punching bag for them. But the more you know who you are outside of their words, the better you’ll be for it, and the further you’ll walk and stay away from their projectors. Both in spirit, and in physical space.