Every time you extend empathy to others that you consistently fail to give yourself, your shadow will seethe with resentment—even if you refuse to acknowledge it. But it leaks. People feel it, even if they can’t name it. This is why so many adult children struggle with parents who, from their perspective, did their best against challenges the child “doesn’t understand.” Both are right. But the deeper issue was never addressed: self-love and self-respect were missing from the pattern. In close relationships, it doesn’t matter how much empathy you give if you don’t also embody it for yourself. Otherwise, you’re modeling self-sacrifice—not empathy. And that’s what a child learns first.
#ThoughtJournal #Parenting #GenerationalCycles #Relationships
