Aarushi and Bhola were a young couple living in Udaipur in a modest apartment near the serene Lake Pichola. From the outside, their life seemed picture-perfect, but within the walls of their home, things were far from ideal. Their arguments were frequent and intense, each leaving scars deeper than the last. Aarushi often felt dismissed and undervalued, while Bhola felt unheard and defensive. In her moments of pain, Aarushi sometimes caught herself labelling Bhola as “toxic.” But a wise voice inside her reminded her to say no to toxic labels—because once you attach such a tag, you stop seeing the whole person.

The couple’s arguments grew sharper with time. Bhola often criticized Aarushi over trivial matters—her cooking was always too salty, her cleaning never thorough enough. He even questioned her choice of friends. His remarks, often dismissive, cut deeply. Aarushi, in turn, fired back with accusations of him being controlling. Their home was filled with slammed doors and bitter silences.

One evening, after yet another explosive fight about Bhola’s refusal to help with chores, Aarushi stormed out and met her friend Mayuri at a café. She poured out her heart, calling Bhola “toxic” and blaming him for all their problems. Mayuri listened intently, then leaned forward and said, “Aarushi, I understand your pain. But labelling Bhola this way won’t help you resolve the conflict. Sometimes we need to say no to toxic labels—because when we put people into boxes, we blind ourselves to the full picture.”

Confused, Aarushi asked, “But what about his constant criticism? It feels so personal.”

Mayuri explained gently, “It may be real, but reacting with defensiveness escalates the cycle. By only labelling him and justifying your anger, you’re feeding the same pattern. If you truly want change, you need to look at both sides and break the cycle of blame.”

Aarushi went home unsettled but thoughtful. A few days later, during another argument, she tried something new. Instead of shouting back, she said, “Bhola, I’m upset, but I want us to talk calmly.” Surprised, Bhola sat down and listened. They spoke openly—Aarushi confessed how the criticism hurt her self-esteem, and Bhola admitted that his harshness often came from stress, not dislike.

Over the following weeks, they made small but meaningful changes. Bhola softened his words, and Aarushi practiced listening without reacting defensively. Slowly, their relationship began to feel lighter.

One evening, Bhola brought her a homemade dessert with a smile. Aarushi felt touched and said, “Thank you for trying.” In that moment, she realized that healing doesn’t come from attaching hurtful names to the people we love, but from understanding, empathy, and patience.

Their journey was far from perfect, but Aarushi held onto one lesson that changed everything: Say no to toxic labels—because relationships thrive not on blame, but on the courage to see each other fully and grow together.