Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Reinventing Susan

I started reading about how narcissistic people manipulate you into giving up your boundaries and basic rights. Nothing new to me, as I was married to a classic narcissist for 7 years. I could write a novel about the gaslighting (there's a name for that specific type of abuse that made me start to lose my mind), the frustration, the helplessness of watching him work his way through superficial relationships, and finally the breaking point when he could no longer face himself and turned to drugs and club kids to soothe the pain. My cue to exit.
For some reason, we all repeat patterns in our lives and I am guilty as anyone in this area. It's constructive if you take the time to be mindful of the patterns, and to take actions to break the cycle. So I'm posting these rules for myself to reread and ponder as I embark on a new pool of friends. Try to remember, Susan.
You have the right to be treated with respect.
You have the right to express your feelings, opinions and wants.
You have the right to set your own priorities.
You have the right to say “no” without feeling guilty.
You have the right to get what you pay for.
You have the right to have opinions different than others.
You have the right to take care of and protect yourself from being threatened physically, mentally or emotionally.
You have the right to create your own happy and healthy life.

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