When we've become way too used to compromising our own values, beginning to say no sometimes can feel selfish. Boundaries and self-care can feel selfish.
Prioritizing our mental health isn’t selfish, though; it’s us returning to ourselves after way too much time spent erasing our voice in an attempt to keep the peace — at home and between houses — taking care of everyone except ourselves.
This stepfamily and this future you’re trying to build? It doesn’t work without you. And to survive within your blended family, you cannot continually carve bits of yourself away to try and fit better. You cannot continually deny yourself the care and support you need and deserve to function.
Today, try to elbow some time out for yourself. Listen to your inner voice and give yourself what you need for a change. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” xo
17 Coping Tips for Managing Overwhelming Stepparenting Emotions
I used to think I was the only stepparent who struggled in this role. Which also made me feel like the worst human ever. But after many years of talking to thousands of stepparents, turns out it's super normal for stepparenting to be way harder than you expected! This list of coping tips for emotional overwhelm includes many of the practices I used myself to get my head above water again. xo
Share this post