Bullies Be Gone

10/15/2024

Etty Hillesum, from Westerbork Transit Camp knowing she was on her way to Auschwitz and death
“Life is endlessly overflowing, even amidst deepest suffering.”

“Practice is a means of inviting the desired end into your life.” Martha Graham

“You can learn a page from a victory, but you’ll learn a book from defeat.” John Wooden

10/15/2024

New Article - Stop Self-Bullying: For people who were never (good) enough

Betty (fictitious name) kept trying to make her adult son happy but nothing she did was ever enough for him. Every conversation began with him listing all her failures. His negativity and criticism got louder and angrier as he talked. He was bullying, abusive and toxic. His focus was totally on

09/17/2024

“Wisdom is being present where you are. And when you stop paying attention, you’re dead. You’re walking but you’re dead.” Billy Connolly

“Bitterness clouds your judgment, takes you off your path…When you’re [an adult] you can see the world around you for what it is and know better than to use that as an excuse.” Belvin Perry Sr. to his son

We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future. Frederick Douglass

09/17/2024

New article - Facing bullies, narcissists, toxic adult children, ignore what you were told growing up

Alice (fictitious name) could never get her toxic, adult son to understand how hurtful and out of control his behavior was, especially in public. In front of the extended family at holiday gatherings or even guests in a restaurant, he would be super-critical, sarcastic and nasty. He loudly called

08/20/2024

“God places the best things in life on the other side of fear.” Will Smith’s grandmother

“We do not receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness, which no one else can make for us, from which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to view the world.” Marcel Proust

“Regrets do not come from those who risk and fail. Regrets come from those who fail to risk.” Brian O’Malley

08/20/2024

New article - With bullies, narcissists, toxic adult children, don’t let understanding, psychology make you a victim

Zara (fictitious name) had always minimized the pain and chaos her bullying, abusive, toxic, narcissistic, now-35-year-old son brought into her life because of what he claimed he’d suffered when he was growing up. But even when he was an infant, he was critical, sarcastic, greedy, demanding and re...

07/23/2024

“Those who play with cats must expect to be scratched.” Miguel de Cervantes

“Hell is the truth seen too late.” Thomas Hobbes.

“If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?” Lucretia Mott

07/23/2024

New article - With bullies, narcissists, toxic adult children, be prepared to make a scene

Wendy (fictitious name) was so frustrated she almost exploded and told off her daughter in public. Her daughter always provoked Wendy and pushed her to the edge of her politeness. But Wendy held back. Making a scene would be so rude. She’d feel guilty, as if she was a bad person. Not only in pr

06/20/2024

“If you miss the present moment, you miss your appointment with life.” Thich Nhat Hanh

“All serious daring starts from within.” Eudora Welty

“You see, you always have a choice.” Belvin Perry Jr.

06/20/2024

With bullies, narcissists, toxic adult children, don’t “accept” them like they want you to

When Vera’s (fictitious name) son was in high school, he started blaming Vera for all his problems. He was negative, critical, sarcastic, and demeaning. He yelled and cursed at her in private and in public. Nothing she ever gave him or did for him was good enough; she was the worst mother ever.

05/21/2024

“Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw

“Every creative person has a second date of birth, and one which is more important than the first: that on which he discovers what his true vocation is.” Brassai

05/21/2024

New article – With bullies, narcissists, toxic adult children, don’t forgive and forget

Tammy’s (fictitious name) oldest daughter began openly treating Tammy with contempt and disrespect when the girl was about thirteen. Tammy faced temper tantrums, unrelenting criticism, anger, bullying and abuse from that daughter for the next twenty-five years. Tammy’s other two adult children n...