1. How do I stop enabling toxic behavior from a family member?

* this has taken me years to work on and I am still in the process. I had to start by figuring out what I wanted from my family relationships and learning what part I could actually control.

2. How can I take better care of myself, so that I can be there for my other family members?

*I have to constantly remind myself what I want from the relationships and draw bright lines about what I am willing to tolerate and having specific strategies to respond to the toxic behaviors. Once the lines are crossed I remove myself and stay away until I am mentally healthy enough to keep my lines and practice my strategies.

3. How do I stop feeling guilty when saying no to a family member, when what they are asking moves me away from my goals?

*I have not managed to stop feeling guilty but I have stopped letting it dictating my actions. A big win for me

4. What can I do to help myself and my family begin to heal?

*I have had to work on healing myself and hope that the example will help others move toward their own healing.

5. Is it okay to take the break I need from family, in order to heal and move closer towards my goals?

*absolutely – I find that setting expectations and letting people know when I will be available again has helped