No relationship is perfect, in the personal or the business sphere. But for the most part, a good relationship makes you feel secure, happy, cared for, respected, and free to be yourself.

On the other side of the coin are toxic relationships – the ones that make you feel drained, depleted, and sometimes even distraught.

Whether you’re running a business, working with a partner, leading an organization, or managing a team, the last thing you need is a toxic relationship.

Its easier said than done, ending a toxic relationship isn’t a cake but one fine day you wake up and realize that it’s about time you block that person from your life.

Sometimes you just have to be done, not upset, not mad, just done.

Parhlo asked Pakistani women about what they learned once they ended a toxic relationship and the responses we received were eye-opening.

1. Inside matters more than the outside

You realize that a pair of killer blue eyes or a frame of over six feet isn’t as important when there’s no kindness. After a toxic relationship, you learn that a good heart weighs more than good looks.

2. Forgiveness is YOUR sanity

Forgiveness, much like love, is a decision. After a toxic relationship, you learn that forgiveness is not so much for the other person. It’s for you. Forgiveness seals that chapter in your life.

3. Listen to your loved ones

After a toxic relationship, you realize that the people who love you really do have your best interest at heart.

4. Listen to your gut

After a toxic relationship, you began to be careful and learn to listen to your gut. You begin to notice the tiny things a person does and how that will affect you.

5. Don’t sell yourself short

You’re bigger than what you think of yourself. If you find yourself compromising on things that are crucial to you, you quickly learn that in your next relationship you will not be as willing to do that. It sounds selfish, but it’s not.

6. Self-love

After ending a toxic relationship you realize that you need to put yourself above. Of course, it’s vital to love your partner but its crucial to love yourself and your desires, ambitions and your likings.

7. You learned something

It may have been a relationship that lasted long or maybe it was just a few months. Regardless of how long the time span was, in the end, you don’t see it as a waste of time because you learned. Truth be told, it does take a little while to get to that point, but once you get there you feel so grown.

8. The amount of drama you can take

Healing from a toxic relationship teaches shows you your threshold of tolerating drama and negativity which will lead you to cut out any toxic person you’ll come across in future.

9. Fight for what’s right

After a toxic relationship, you learn what types of relationships are worth fighting for and which ones require you to walk out. You learn that some relationships just can’t be fixed.

A lot of people choose not to let their guard down for any other person and shield themselves believing they’ll be hurt again, but that’s unhealthy.

It’s true that the feeling of never being fully happy might scare the hell out of you, but I promise, it’ll come to you.