“If only I were _____, we wouldn’t have this problem. It’s all my fault.” 

“He just makes me so angry.”

“She keeps taking advantage of me, and I don’t know what to do about it!”

Have you ever found yourself thinking or saying one of these things? 

We all have relationships that are difficult. Family, coworkers, friends…these people can be great supports for us or they can make life difficult and tear us down.

As you get started with building your inner circle in Link2Hope, we invite you to take a moment and think through the relationships in your life. Ask yourself some key questions:

• Does this person cause harm to me or my family or make me feel threatened? 
• Do I feel safe to be myself around this person? 
• In this relationship, is all of the blame for problems shifted on one person, or do we both accept responsibility when difficulties come? 
• Do I need to set boundaries with this person to avoid someone being harmed?

If, in evaluating your close relationships, you find that some of the people closest to you are unsafe, we encourage you to be wise. Set boundaries and stick with them. Talk to a pastor, counselor, or trusted friend about how to do this. Remind yourself to take a step back when you’re feeling hurt to breathe, pray, and think clearly about the best next step. Link2Hope includes connections to trained and vetted advocates who would love to come alongside you and help as you determine the best steps for your family. You can also find links to counselors and support groups, nonprofit organizations that specialize in counseling, getting out of abusive relationships, hotlines for emergency situations, and more. 

May God bless you and give you wisdom to seek and build healthy relationships that lead to mutual growth.