Living Victoriously

How To Avoid Falling For A Jerk… OR Jerkette

(Session 2 Part 2 of "You Can’t Marry Jethro Without Getting’ The Clampetts")

Exploring Family Background

Did you know that your experiences and family background has shaped who you are?  “Your family influences you in many ways.  There are 3 key influences your family has on you.

1. The way you learned to handle your emotions and how to give and receive love.
2. The way you learned to handle and share power
3. The way you learned family roles

This next section is a copy of the book from the seminar.  It is very important for self-evaluation.  Let’s explore affection and anger in your family.  Let’s TRULY think about it. 

Grab a sheet of paper and write these down.  These are questions to ask yourself and to answer HONESTLY.  Write your answers on the paper so that you see your answers visually.

-         Think and write about how your family exhibited affection that made you feel loved.  This truly affects you and how you relate to others.  Write about how it affected you and how you relate to others.

-         Think and write about how you want affection to be shown in your relationships, including marriage and family.  Write down what kind of family experiences in a partner would help to accomplish this?

-         Think and write about what your temper is like.  How was anger managed in the family that you grew up in?  How do you WANT to handle your temper in your relationships and how do you WANT to handle your temper in a marriage someday?  Write it down.

-         Think about when you are dating someone.  What do you want to look for in order to understand the way that person will handle their temper or express love and affection?  Write it down.

-         Think and write about what some practices were from your family that you would like to incorporate into your marriage and family someday.

-         Think and write about what some practices were from your family that you would NOT want to repeat.

-         Think and write about what relationship practices you want to look for in the family of the person you marry someday.  Why do you think that is important?

These are very important factors in dealing with overcoming SELF and having a successful relationship.  We are going to cover more of this over the next few sessions.

Remember:  “Patterns from childhood often recur in adult relationships unless essential efforts are made to change”.

Join me again on Thursday as we continue with “Exploring Family Background”  How To Avoid Falling For A Jerk… OR Jerkette – Session 2 Part 2.