Son in the Shadows: "Navigating Life as the Black Sheep of Narcissistic Parents"

Challenges are a part of life, but I would say the biggest challenge of all is creating a better version of yourself. This version has less tolerance for certain people, places, and systems. It is risky and takes many years to become a version of yourself that you feel proud of. It is a lonely and difficult path, but worth every second. This is how you should view difficulties in life. It is really common to think that when new obstacles emerge, we are being dealt a bad deal. It is just that when you operate with more boundaries and clearer intentions for what you want, friction naturally occurs. This can be because you’re exploring the unknown, and as I mentioned before, it feels lonely because you’re either self-reliant or no longer relying too much on people’s opinions.

When you become more aware, you notice everything through a clearer lens and at times feel more of it. This can be inconsistency, unclear systems, or microaggressions. Also, challenges do not have to appear to punish us, but to reveal the old life falling apart. The newer version of the self needs to be involved with better people, more self-trust, and have more suitable systems to truly thrive.