801 The Difference Between Love for and Obligation to Your Family

Does your chest ever tighten when your phone rings and you see it's someone in your family who you know needs something?

Does your stomach drop when you get a text message that says, "We need to talk"?

If you're already exhausted before you say yes to a whole plethora of things your family of origin may need from you, this post is for you.

Family obligations are something I have had a complicated relationship with. Growing up, I felt a deep loyalty to my family of origin, particularly my mother and my sisters. And it got complicated when I fell in love with my husband and became a bonus mom to three teenage sons. There was so much going on, and the truth is, you can't really prioritize both.

There's a natural shift that happens when you have a family of your own, or like me, you marry into a family. And when I was the one keeping it all together in my family of origin, I had to really decide what I was going to do. I was confronted with the extent of my obligation.

So let's talk about family obligations, guilt, roles we didn't actively volunteer for, and why so many capable, loving, high-functioning people feel trapped by the responsibilities they quietly resent.

Read the show notes for today's episode at terricole.com/801