When you’ve been in a toxic relationship, sometimes you stop seeing the big picture of the impact of the relationship in your life. Sometimes you might get glued mostly on your emotions like being angry or feeling sad or all those kinds of negative emotions. But when you look at the big picture, you realize that the relationship you’re in is even negatively affecting your career.

In fact, one of the first things I do before working with my clients is I share with them a presentation of some of the indirect effects of being in a toxic relationship and then they are so amazed to and be like wow, “I didn’t know that it affected this”.

And then, having this realization that being in an unhealthy or toxic relationship affects other areas of your life is a significant step towards recognizing the need to heal or move on from that relationship. It serves as the fuel or motivation you need to understand that prioritizing inner growth will also manifest in outer changes. So, how exactly does being in a toxic relationship impact your career?

Exhaustion

The first issue is exhaustion. Being in a toxic relationship is like riding an emotional rollercoaster. You constantly feel like you’re walking on eggshells, unsure of what will please them. No matter what you try, it seems to fail. It’s a place where you constantly feel drained, like you’re trying to take care of an irresponsible adult. You’re always on guard, watching out for their manipulation or abuse.

Thus, it becomes mentally taxing. Naturally, you struggle to sleep well, leading to exhaustion. Consequently, applying for roles becomes challenging, as does maintaining productivity at work. This lack of productivity directly impacts your performance. Poor performance in your workplace or career ultimately halts your growth. Therefore, the primary consequence is exhaustion, stemming from these dynamics.

Doubt

Another aspect is doubt. In a toxic relationship, validation or praise for your achievements is rare. Instead, you find yourself in constant competition (indirectly or directly) with your abusive partner, whose inflated sense of self quests for superiority. They consistently discourage and criticize you, leading you to internalize their negativity.

This erodes your confidence and self-belief, causing you to doubt your abilities and decisions, and feel undeserving of success. Consequently, you develop a distorted self-image and become fearful of pursuing roles or opportunities. This self-doubt can evolve into imposter syndrome, where you believe that nothing you do will ever be good enough. Consequently, you may question the purpose of applying for roles or attending interviews. This cycle undermines your career progress by distorting your perception of yourself and your capabilities.

Limited Networking Opportunities

Another issue is limited networking opportunities. In an abusive relationship, isolation is often used as a manipulative technique. Your partner may intentionally isolate you or pressure you to withdraw from social interactions. This isolation stems from their jealousy and fear of external competition. As a result, withdrawing from networking opportunities prevents you from seeking avenues to advance in your career. The detrimental effect is that you miss out on genuine networks that could facilitate your career growth.

Additionally, networking opportunities often require confidence. You need self-esteem to engage with individuals who are well-established or thriving in your industry. However, the confidence necessary for such interactions may be depleted due to the damaging effects of the toxic relationship. You may fear judgment and find yourself avoiding professional gatherings or refraining from reaching out to potential mentors or key industry players. Consequently, without actively networking and building connections in your chosen career or business, you limit your access to valuable resources, opportunities, and insights crucial for career growth.

Direct Impact

One last aspect to address is the direct influence on your career advancement. Specifically, if you and your abusive partner operate within the same professional sphere, they may resort to character assassination to harm your reputation. This could entail spreading unfounded accusations or disclosing confidential details about your previous engagements, potentially branding you as deceitful. For example, if you collaborated with them on a project in the past, they might exploit these prior associations to impede your career trajectory. They could even go as far as lobbying for your dismissal or sabotaging your job prospects altogether.

That’s why, once you leave the relationship, if you find yourself unable to secure employment, avoiding job applications, staying home, or isolating yourself, it’s clear that the relationship has left a significant impact on your life. However, simply leaving the relationship isn’t the ultimate solution. True healing involves letting go of all the negativity that was imposed upon you. This process is about gaining confidence, improving self-esteem, defining boundaries, and recognizing your worthiness of happiness.

As you heal, you’ll naturally feel more empowered to build connections, pursue new opportunities, and further your education because you understand that you deserve success. It’s a domino effect: by addressing the underlying issues rather than dwelling on narcissism or past grievances, you can break free from the chains of toxic relationships and reclaim the fulfilling life you deserve.

Note from the Author

If you’re ready and you’d like my help with healing, finding peace in life and breaking free from these toxic patterns, then you can book a FREE BREAKTHROUGH CALL with me HERE. Happy healing 💙💙. Feel free to share and comment! Use this information with caution, it comes from my own thoughts & bias, experiences and research😊.