031: Dealing with Difficult Family Members

Family - can't live without them.

.. And sometimes, kind of difficult to live with them, too!

All of us have faced challenges in dealing with difficult and perhaps even toxic people among our family.

From narcissists, criticizers energy drainers, manipulators and victims - people like these exist in society. And some of them just so happen to be in our family!

In this episode of The Barakah Effect podcast, we discuss: What are the mindsets, tips and strategies can we adopt to best handle ourselves in handling these types of people whom we can't just "get rid off"?

How do we deal with family members who enjoy bullying us? Who refuse to reciprocate our kindness? Who ruthlessly hurl insults at us? Who psychologically torture us with their endless comparisons?

All this, plus an interesting little Star Wars reference down the line that teaches us how we can use this to bring some humanity and empathy to help us cope with these undoubtedly challenging situations.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:09 Why Syahmi chose this often-avoided "taboo" topic

0:07:08 A problem that affects practicing Muslims too

0:11:50 Discussion outline - Examples of "difficult" / "toxic" family

0:19:43 Senior Family members who bully you

0:26:33 Principles of Akhlaq and good behavior to family

0:31:46 Lower expectations: Don't expect others to reciprocate good akhlaq

0:34:15 You cannot change other people - hidayah is in the Hands of Allah

0:37:59 Whoever helps another Muslim, Alah will Help him on the Day of Judgment

0:41:58 Handling uncles & aunties who love comparing with others #ChangeTheGame

0:44:06 Perfectly normal to have difficult family members: Even Prophets of Allah

0:48:56 Showing Empathy to your family members

0:51:35 Hate the sin, but not the sinner - don't Label others

0:56:37 Let them observe our maturity

0:59:43 Prioritization: identifying those who have more rights to us

01:04:30 Respond in a better way