Defending yourself against a smear campaign is a complete waste of time. It will suck the emotional energy straight out of you. Smear campaigns are set up by the toxic people to get a reaction. Don’t give it to them. Those who love you know the truth, right? You’re not going to need to convince the people who already love you. Those who don’t? They don’t matter. You don’t need to convince them either. Giving energy to a smear campaign is giving your time and energy back to them. They have used up enough of your time and energy.

You are definitely going to come across the word “hoovering.”

It is derived from the Hoover vacuum, and it is a tactic that is used by toxic people, narcissistic people, and emotionally abusive people to suck you back into the relationship and into their control.

Once they get you back in, they continue to treat you like dirt.