Relationships

a handshake vs. a hug ❤️

It's easy to fall into the trap of feeling responsible for other people's emotions, reactions, and inner turmoil. We have an innate desire to be understood and accepted. So when others seem upset with us, judge us, or want us to change, we leap to explain, rationalize, and pacify. But in our quest to please or appease, we often lose ourselves. We diminish our needs and sacrifice our well-being. We are not accountable for how others interpret our words or actions. We are not tasked with managing their wounds, insecurities, and inner wars. It is a losing game to contort ourselves, trying to be who others wish we were. This will only lead to resentment and emotional depletion on our part. Know that setting firm boundaries, honoring your authenticity, and speaking your truth with love is sufficient. You are not required to make sure everyone understands or approves. You are not obligated to take on negative energy that is not yours. Your responsibility lies in staying aligned with your highest self. The rest will fall into place as it should.

It is our relationships are the most impactful in creating overall life satisfaction. Yet few of us are putting intentional effort to make sure that they actually bring a satisfaction. Most people are expecting relationships to be satisfying automatically without having to put in intentional work.⁣ ⁣ All relationships go through periods of disillusionment and disappointment. You have to put intentional work into learning how to do relationships better. ⁣ ⁣ Your partner is not a parent wherre you simply deserve to receive love and care in a healthy relational setting. ⁣ ⁣ 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚.⁣ ⁣ Take your power and co-author your relationship.⁣ ⁣ What have I left out? What will you add?