Build Them Up

This week I’m talking about building your family relationships.  The ideal relationships start with a strong foundation and are built on love and respect.  However, that’s not always the reality we live.  Families are broken.  People have unrealistic expectations from the people they love.  So, how do you fix that?

First of all, you need to figure out what you want  your family relationship to look like. 

You get to decide:

·        You get to decide what you will and what you will not put up with. 

·        You get to choose the people you surround yourself with. 

You do not get to decide:

·        You do not get to decide what other people “should” or “should not” do. 

·        You do not get to choose who other people surround themselves with.

Setting boundaries will help you tell other people what you are and are not willing to think, say, or do.  Respecting boundaries will help you honor the decisions of what other people have decided to think, say, or do.  The key word here is boundaries. 

Having blurred lines give people the freedom to cross those lines and feelings get hurt.  This causes families to argue, fight, and maybe not speak for decades.  They tend to talk badly about each other which makes the entire family so uncomfortable they end up dividing into groups that “are allowed to speak to each other.” 

Instead of tearing your family down, build your family up.  Respect the boundaries.  If someone crosses your boundary, talk to them.  Communication is the answer!