When the women in your life try all possible ways to break you...

Life teaches us that the people we hold closest are the ones who can shape us the most. They can nurture us, protect us, and guide us—but what happens when those same people become the source of our deepest pain? For me, the women in my life—those I thought would be my anchors—have instead been the ones pulling me into the storm.

I never thought that I would feel this way about relationships that are supposed to be unbreakable. My mother, my sister, and others who have walked with me have become a source of turmoil rather than comfort. It's not easy to admit, but it's a truth I've been carrying.

Mothers are the epitome of protectors, and sisters are lifelong friends. Society portrays them as unconditional love, warmth, and support. But when reality does not meet these expectations, the disappointment can be crushing. It is not about small arguments or misunderstandings; it is about a pattern of actions and words that leave you feeling unheard, unloved, and sometimes even unworthy.

I often ask myself: Is it me? Am I expecting too much? But there is a difference between normal family challenges and a dynamic that feels suffocating. When love is conditional or tied to constant criticism, it doesn't feel like love anymore.

This experience is so hard to go through when you are not understood. You try to tell people about your pain, but they say it is an overreaction, or worse, you hear it coming back at you. These are the same people who should know you best but seem the farthest from understanding you.

It's not that I don't love them. I do, deeply. But love shouldn't mean tolerating toxic patterns. It's a constant internal conflict: wanting to honor the bond, yet feeling like it's breaking you bit by bit.

What do you do when those who are supposed to raise you up bring you down instead? For me, the answer isn't easy. It's about learning to set boundaries—something I never learned growing up. It's about understanding that my peace matters, even if it's at the expense of a relationship that feels damaging.

I have also begun trying to look inwards towards how I can heal from hurt without letting bitterness take over, and writing this is one part of the journey-that is, acknowledging the hurt but also that I shall not let it define my life.

If you’re reading this and feeling the same way, know that you’re not alone. It’s okay to love people from a distance if being close to them is too much to bear. It’s okay to prioritize your mental and emotional health, even if others don’t understand.

Family bonds can be beautiful, but they can also be complicated, messy, and painful. I’m learning to navigate that complexity, and though it’s not easy, I’m determined to find peace—whether it’s within these relationships or apart from them.

At the end of the day, we all deserve to have relationships that nourish us, not ones that tear us down. And it's hard to accept the truth that those closest to you can hurt you the most, but it also calls for strength within oneself.

This is my journey, which is messy, painful but hopefully healing. Maybe one day I will be proud of the boundaries that I have placed and the peace I've found. Until then, I move forward step by step.