Joyce Liu

“Children, especially highly sensitive children, can be wounded in multiple ways: by bad things happening, yes, but also by good things not happening, such as their emotional needs for attunement not being met,”
― Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture

“If I don’t respond, will there be negative repercussions? Are they trying to make their problem my problem? Am I being baited into an argument? Is this distracting me from more important tasks? Sometimes the unnecessary stress in our life is our own doing, because we intentionally engage with the people or situations creating it. Although we often don’t mean to, we find ourselves instinctually catching the ball out of habit or obligation or because of our history with that person (ex-spouse, childhood friend, overbearing parent). You may not be able to control what another person says or does, but you can always control your response, or lack thereof, to it. If you don’t like drama, then don’t invite it in.”
― Evy Poumpouras, Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly

“Rigid people are the most dangerous people. Because they don't know how to adapt, they become tethered to the one narrative they have created in their minds. They become unable to pivot so when life delivers a blow, it's almost impossible for them to recover.”
― Evy Poumpouras, Becoming Bulletproof: Life Lessons from a Secret Service Agent

“When you feel someone else getting defensive, change your words from those that put up walls to those that break them down. It’s a shift toward a connection mindset that opens up to more understanding and acknowledgment, rather than confrontation and the urge to win.”
― Jefferson Fisher, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More