Good thoughts! I am likewise actively trying to learn these skills—assertiveness, boundaries, self-advocacy, and willingness to openly speak about my beliefs that others may find uncomfortable. It’s not easy…

In fact, I’m glad I happened to catch this post today (I’ve been kind of AWOL from Substack lately), because I needed an extra jolt of encouragement on this path, after an painful interaction today with family members who still pray for me to start believing in God again. Oy…anyway, thank you for these words!