Many people face the problem of toxic individuals in their lives. Toxic people are those who are negative, rude, mean, or dishonest. They try to bring others down or hurt them with their words or actions, creating a lot of stress and unhappiness. If you are also dealing with such toxic people in your life, then this story is for you. 🌱
Once upon a time, there lived a man in a town who worked in a company with a very toxic atmosphere. The employees in that company were mean; they often tried to sabotage each other’s work and spread rumors behind their backs. They complained and gossiped about each other all the time, leading to a lot of unfair politics in his office. The man was fed up with this kind of environment and wanted to change his job, but he was not sure what to do.
Near his office, there was a Buddhist monastery. The man often used to visit it. One day, he learned that a wise Buddhist monk was staying in the monastery for a few days. So, he went to the monastery to meet the monk and discuss his problem.
The monk greeted him and asked him the reason for coming. The man told him his sad story, saying, “Sir, I am very unhappy with my job. There are very toxic people in my office who talk as if they are mocking me. They backstab each other and pull each other down, and progressing is the culture in our office. People keep talking negatively about others behind their backs, spending most of their time gossiping. I don’t know how to deal with such toxic people. I am thinking of quitting my job and joining somewhere else.”
The monk listened to him patiently and then thought for a moment. He picked up a glass of water, filled it to the brim, and said, “I can solve your problem, but for that, you will have to do a task.” He gave the man the glass of water and said, “Take this glass of water, walk from here to your office, walk around your office three times, and then bring this glass of water back to me. But remember, don’t spill even a single drop of water during this entire task. After that, I will help you solve your problem.”
The man took the glass of water from the monk and began walking to his office. He was extremely careful not to let any water spill from the glass. After completing three rounds of his office, he walked back to the monastery with the glass of water still full. He gave it back to the monk and said, “Sir, I have done your task. Now please solve my problem.”
The monk smiled and said, “My friend, you have already solved your problem yourself.” The man was a bit surprised. He asked the monk, “Sir, I have not understood your point. Please explain in detail.”
The monk said, “Tell me, when you were walking around the office, did you notice an employee speaking badly about another employee or about you? Did you listen to any gossip or notice any politics in your office?” The man said, “No, sir, I did not.”
The monk smiled and said, “You see, when you were holding a glass of water, you did not pay attention to anything else but the glass of water. You did not let anything distract, bother, or hurt you. You focused only on what was important to you and what you had control over. The same goes for our life. When we are focused on our work, our priorities, we don’t have time to see all the drama around us. We don’t have time to notice the mistakes of others or listen to gossip, politics, or negativity. The fact is, anywhere we go, we are going to find toxic people. A change of job or a change of situation does not necessarily ensure freedom from such people. We should certainly do what we can to positively change things around us, but when we know that we have done our best and things still remain more or less the same, then we should shift our focus to the glass of water, which is our work, our priorities, our growth, and our excellence. Then we won’t be much affected by the negativity around us.”
“And if you still feel that it is beyond your capacity to handle the situation and you need to change, then you must also remember that a new job or a new situation will also bring new complexities. Therefore, forget what is going around you and focus your attention on your work, your growth, and your priorities. If you do so, you will certainly learn to deal with toxic people and will never be upset by these kinds of negative people around you.”
After listening to the monk, the man realized his mistake and thanked the monk for his wisdom and advice. 🙏
If we see in our lives, we will find that life is full of all kinds of people, including those who spread negativity or are toxic. You can find such people in society, among your friends, at work, in your neighborhood, and sometimes even in your family. Everyone at some point has to deal with such people. But, like in the story, the monk advised the man to focus on his work and personal growth rather than paying attention to the toxic people around him. We should follow the same advice. Don’t let negative people and environments consume you. Instead, keep your attention on your personal and professional development. Concentrate on your work, your priorities, and growing as a person. This will help you manage toxic situations and handle negative people with strength and calmness. Therefore, don’t let toxic people ruin your happiness or peace of mind, but keep your focus on what truly matters to you and what you can control. This way, we can handle any negativity with grace and resilience, ensuring that their toxicity does not affect our well-being. 🌿🌟