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today’s wisdom quote: 

"Whenever the brain and the heart fight, it's always the liver that suffers."
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how dysfunctional people apologize:

"I'm sorry if I behaved in a way that made you think I should apologize."
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hugggg.
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Bundle, I was eating a chocolate cupcake when I read your latest statement below, hahaha

Love all those wisdom tidbits!
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today's wisdom quote #2

🙂🙂 "Calm
is just a chocolate bar away."
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Good advice Yoda

And so true bundle
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🥰 today’s wisdom quote: 

"Don't die before you're dead."
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These likely go without saying and likely not many here need to hear them, but they are on my mind today following varied reactions to sharing about myself in a support group. So here they are.

Seven needed dynamics to listen as one who understands instead of listens to respond.

1. Be healed enough from one's own past trauma that what you hear does not trigger you or cause you to react with anger if they don't share their story just the way you want them to say it. To do so is a major act of invalidation.

2. Suspend judgment so that the person feels that you are safe.

3. Even when their story is so foreign to your life experience that it is difficult to understand, be empathetic instead of drilling them on why not handle it differently.

Over time as more people share their story or the same person shares more of their story, you will come to understand what you didn't understand before.

Be patient and be willing to live with the complexity of not fully understanding a person's story. Empathy and validation are far more important to the person talking!

4. Consider what the person has shared with you a priceless gift for you to protect with the utmost privacy. Remember, you aren't them and you weren't there.

5. Don't fret over feeling overwhelmed or fearful in the moment for it's part of the experience when another person fully opens their soul to another. Some of that feeling will linger at times but that is normal.

6. Never, divulge what you are told to someone nor throw it back in the person's face.

7. Remain humble for you are not alone as a listener. There is always more room for growth.

For many, I'm preaching to the choir, but it bears repeating from time to time. We all, myself included, must continue to become good listeners.
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ihatecaregiving, i love your screen name! i gotta change mine to ihatecaregiving2.

imagine we all changed our screen names!
we’d be called
ihatecaregiving3
…4…5,008…19,765…
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today's wisdom quote #2

"Stop wishing. Start doing."
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🥰 today’s wisdom quote: 

"Don't be afraid of death. Be afraid of an un-lived life."
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You are right Yoda, I totally get what you're saying.

I use that thought for myself to just walk away from these toxic people and to forgive them so I can let go of the resentments, and anger, for me to be a healthier person.
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Anxietynacy,

I get your point, but I don't think that I'd ever say the abuser hurts worse than the victim. To me, that's almost a more covert way of saying what my abuser said to me, that their abuse which caused mine hurt them worse than my experience of their abuse of me which they excuse on their past, as heard in their saying that they could not help it, but they knew it would create a lifetime of pain for me.

We must each take responsibility for our own choices instead of living as an eternal victim which excuses us from personal accountability, keeps us glued to the past, and never allows us to be free in the present or the future.

Yes, abusive people hurt as do those they abuse. However, it is not up to the abused to heal the abusers. The abusers need to take responsibility for themselves and find healing for themselves.

Sorry about preaching to the choir, but I am on a roll tonight and will calm down.
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Yoda, I am glad you received that statement that offered closure.

I read that over a few times & feel it's wisdom.
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Yoda, I'm glad you got closure, when someone really hurts you, it is hard to let that go !!

That's similar to my feeling, that the bullies are hurting more than the bullied, inside. That why they bully to find away to make them feel bigger, because they are small people.
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another update

I'm glad to have closure on a statement from a person who hurt me deeply a long, long time ago. No therapist has been able to decode this, but now I know. It never struck me as an ok statement; my reaction was shock and I shut down. Here's the clarifying closer via a retired pastor friend. "Their speech was a standard denial of responsibility often offered by abusers who have been abused."
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bundleofjoy,

I wish that were possible, but I don't remember back that far to before I was 10.
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🥰 today’s final wisdom quote:

“Un-drama yourself. Be who you were before all that drama happened which distracted you from who you really are and what you really want for your life.”
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today's wisdom quote #2

"I can't keep calm, my family is crazy."
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today’s wisdom quote:

 "A toxic person only changes their victims, never themselves."
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today’s final wisdom quote:

🥚🥚🍳🍳
“Your life may feel like it’s scrambled, but take it in stride and everything will go over easy.”
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today's wisdom quote #2

“Families tend to cater to the most dysfunctional person in the family as a way to keep the peace.”
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😊 today's wisdom quote:

"Not only are you right, I wish I was smart enough to take your advice."
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today's wisdom quote #2

"I love animals. When's the last time you were loved just for walking through a door? Dogs do this all the time."
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Well bundle, now you got 2 reason, one I keep calling you bumble, and yeah weight has never been an issue for me. 😁, luv you bundle your the best!
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😊 today's wisdom quote:

"People who eat loads of food and never gain weight, I hate you."
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Oh, good one!
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🍀🍀🍀🍀 today's wisdom quote:

“It’s better to be disowned, than to be owned.”
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today's wisdom quote #2

"Please don't disturb my peace if you're at war with yourself."
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