Some families can be very controlling and intimidating, which can leave you feeling emotionally bulldozed, even when you have grown up left home and made a life for yourself. Some parents are so negative about things, saying "you mustn't do this or mustn't do that, don't go out with him/her" and in the end you just dont know what to do for the best.

If you are one of these people at the end of the firing line, be strong stand up for yourself, politely tell your family that you are an adult now and that you can make decisions for yourself, but you respect what they are saying, so that they don't fall out with you. We all have to make our own decisions in life, and we all make mistakes, but thats part of life, we can all learn from our mistakes. So don't let anyone tell you how to run your life, otherwise it will just grind you down emotionally.

Some people may think that they are helping you, when in fact they probably aren't.
Be positive and have respect for yourself, as well as others. You can still refuse to listen to family members and be respectful at the same time. How would they like it if you tried to tell them how to run their lives, they wouldn't. They would tell you to stop interfering probably.

If your family are always making you feel that you cant do anything right, prove them wrong, be yourself, be more assertive and confident, once they see that you can do things right and make decisions for yourself without making mistakes, they may leave you to get on with your own life, without making you feel emotionally bulldozed.

If you get into a position where they are making you feel this way, be polite and walk away, even if you have to come up with an excuse. You don't have to stand for it. The more confident you become within yourself, the less emotionally bulldozed your family will make you feel.

Learn more about this author, Teresa Meakin.
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