By Michael Patrick O’Brien–
I am really excited to share this October 01, 2017 article from Fr. Michael Rennier (A Catholic priest living in Missouri) because it is so wonderfully relevant today. As soon as possible, please check out the post at this website address: https://aleteia.org/2017/10/01/how-to-deal-with-that-toxic-person-in-your-life-according-to-st-therese-of-lisieux/
The author states that, “St. Therese of Lisieux has a reputation for being a quiet, unassuming woman. The description is fitting; after all you don’t get the nickname ‘Little Flower’ by going on Twitter rants and keeping it real by telling people off. No, St. Therese developed the ability to deal so gently with unpleasant people that they often mistakenly thought she favored them.”
How? The article explains her three steps.
Step one: “Seek your true value. if you’re told something repeatedly, even if it’s completely inaccurate, the steady stream of negativity takes a toll after a while. Therese solved this problem by ceasing to care what her detractor thought and seeking her value from within.”
Step two: “Don’t waste energy in a vain defense. By this, Therese doesn’t mean we should let others push us around, but that when we’re falsely accused and labeled, it shouldn’t bait us into a fight…Over time, actions speak louder than words, and even toxic people can be won over by the consistency of a person who puts energy into defying expectations.”
Step three: “Perfect your ability to love. It’s easy to love family and friends, but it’s hard to love that person who shows no redeeming qualities whatsoever.” Fr. Rennier explains how Therese made special efforts to be kind towards a person she disliked and after a while, her negative feelings towards that person truly began to change.
The takeaway? Fr. Rennier’s words are better than my own: “In the end, a toxic person can only affect you as much as you’re willing to be affected. As Therese shows, there’s always another choice.”
