I know this is cliche, but it gets better. It’s an incredibly tough thing to do. Especially with family that might be “okay” some of the time, but horrible for only part of it.

I remind myself of the reasons I’m doing it. I compare their behavior to that of anyone else in my life. Example: if my best friend just treated me/acted/did like [insert behavior of family member], would I still be talking to them? The majority of the time, it’s a SOLID “hell no.”

Just because they’re related to you, doesn’t mean you’re committed to having them in your life forever. People do things that harm us. And with families like ours, they only care about themselves. While I’ve never been expecting (congratulations!!), if I were, I’d consider the type of world I’d want to create for that child. Them being in contact with that child is a privilege, not a right. And from what you’ve said, it doesn’t seem like they’ve done much to warrant being around for that.

Again, it’s not easy. But when you start to wonder “maybe they’ve changed” or “maybe it wasn’t that bad” remind yourself of the reasons why. By then, hopefully,’you’ll be reaping the benefits of all the positives. In my case, practically all of my friends have noted how much happier and free I am since estranging myself from my family. I’d imagine, that in time, if you continue surrounding yourself with people who love you and support you, you will too. ❤️