Hello, question asker! I'm Jiang 61, and I'm thrilled to be here with you today.
First of all, thank you so much for trusting us and being willing to tell us about your painful experience. It must have been extremely difficult for you to be asked about your mother's death by relatives in your grief, but you're doing an amazing job of handling it!
Let me give you a big hug and comfort your broken heart. You ask, "My mother has gone after a stroke, leaving my seriously ill father in my care."
"It feels like your content is far removed from the topic. Let me answer your question now based on what you have described.
1. Concern
1⃣️ Relatives
You said, "Mom suddenly left, but she helped so many people! Everyone is very reluctant to let her go, and her relatives in her hometown are very concerned about us (verbally), but they don't really help in any practical way."
Concern
From what you have described, it seems that your mother was an absolutely wonderful person who was very well-liked, so her passing away has made everyone who loved her very sad, including your relatives. Out of love for your mother and concern for you, they naturally asked a lot of questions.
However, you feel that their concern is just lip service and that they are not offering any substantial help.
Expectations
It's evident from your words that you have a lot to say about the care of your relatives! It's clear that their care doesn't meet your expectations, so you're feeling a bit disappointed with this kind of care.
2⃣️, Dad
You say, "But my father absolutely loves the feeling of being surrounded!"
Feeling
You don't like it when relatives don't show any real concern, but Dad absolutely loves it when they shower him with attention! You think Dad likes being the center of attention and having everyone turn their attention to him.
Needs
In fact, as I understand it, when Mum suddenly left Dad, it was a big change for him. He had always been watched over by Mum, but now he was all alone. At this time, a lonely and sad heart needs someone to comfort it, even if it is just a few words of comfort. For him, this is also a kind of psychological comfort. He needs comfort, which you can't imagine, so you won't understand Dad's thoughts and actions.
Personality
Dad is a fascinating individual with a unique personality. He is more dependent than you are, and he doesn't like excessive attention. He is also quite different from you in that he is more dependent and doesn't like excessive attention.
This sentence of yours also shows the character of Dad, who is more dependent than you are. He is quite different from your independence, and he doesn't like excessive attention.
3⃣️, you
You say, "They keep asking, but I feel like they're opening up old wounds. I feel tired and anxious when they keep asking. They also say they'll go out for walks and chat more often in the future. But the truth is, I don't think these opinions are worth considering. I've never been good at relationships, and suddenly I have a lot of people who 'care' about me. It's exhausting, and I can't sleep well at night when I think about those topics. But you know what? I'm excited to see what the future holds! Who knows what amazing things are in store for me?"
? Emotions
? Anxiety
The relatives' excessive attention, especially their endless questions, are like salt being poured on your already exhausted and hurting heart, causing unbearable pain and at the same time causing you to become distracted. You are overwhelmed and anxious. But guess what? You can get through this!
? Being lectured
Your irritable mood is not because of what the relatives are asking, but because you feel that they are lecturing you and controlling your spirit in their elder-like manner. Therefore, feelings of annoyance and anxiety arise. But don't worry! You can easily overcome these feelings by taking a walk to distract yourself and reduce your sadness.
And the best part is, you can expect:
Your relatives want you to go out and take a walk to distract yourself and reduce your sadness.
You're looking forward to having some time to yourself to relax and deal with your own issues without any interference from others. You're especially eager to avoid their lectures!
Communication
It's clear that your expectations and your relatives' help don't match up. This can be a real challenge! But it's also an opportunity for growth and understanding. When we recognize that our expectations and those of our loved ones may not align, we can choose to respond in a way that is more constructive and less emotionally draining.
2. The Problem
We can solve this together!
1⃣️, ineffective communication
You're eager to share that your relatives' concern for you is only superficial and that they don't offer any real help. At the same time, they keep asking you questions and giving you advice that you don't want.
Although you are annoyed, there's an opportunity here to tell them your real needs and expectations. This will help you have more effective communication!
2⃣️, Empathy
The second problem is that your ineffective communication is based on a lack of empathy between you.
Your relatives could have shown more empathy for your feelings and taken your perspective into account. You could have also tried to understand your father's feelings and views a bit better.
And you can't even begin to understand his state of mind!
3. What to do
Facing the situation in front of you, you ask, "I'm excited to hear your advice on how I should handle this!"
1⃣️ Manage your emotions!
You can see that the words you just spoke were full of emotion!
Now for the fun part!
As mentioned earlier, your emotions did not come from the question your relative asked you, but from the fact that what your relative said made you feel lectured at. Therefore, you became agitated. Your nature does not like being lectured, but you can learn to manage your emotions so that you can handle family relationships, close relationships, and interpersonal relationships with more ease!
Now for the fun part! It's time to manage those emotions.
Once you've identified the root of your emotion, it's time to take control! Learning to manage your emotions is an essential skill for navigating family dynamics, close relationships, and interpersonal interactions. Emotion management is
Now for the fun part! It's time to recognize those emotions.
This is the first step in managing your emotions! When you have an emotion, you need to identify what emotion it is. There are so many emotions out there, like anxiety, anger, sadness, and more!
Embrace your emotions!
Healthy emotions are the best! They're emotions that are consistent with the situation. When your emotional experience is consistent with objective events, the first thing you should do is tell yourself: "My current emotions are normal." This is called "accepting emotions."
This way of thinking will reduce emotional tension and naturally restore calm within.
Expressing emotions is a great way to let your feelings out and feel better!
Emotional expression is all about sharing your own emotions with the world! It's a chance to show the world who you are and what you're feeling. You can express yourself in so many ways, and it's always a great idea to use "I" and "My feelings..." to show the world what's going on inside you!
It's time to cultivate your emotions!
And there's more! You can also cultivate and practice emotion management in the following ways:
1) And there's more! Living a regular life will also stabilize your emotions.
2) Get out there and find a hobby you love! Let your positive emotions drive you, love yourself, love life, and feel the beauty of life!
3) Look after others and show them love! It's the greatest joy in the world to help others and see them flourish.
4) Get out into nature! It'll open your heart, calm your emotions, and help you feel more stable.
5) Make friends who are practical and spend time with emotionally stable people to reduce emotional disturbance and fluctuations. It's a great idea!
Once you've got your emotions under control, you'll be able to take care of yourself and the people around you, especially Dad!
2⃣️, meet expectations!
Your emotions are reflected not only in your words, but also in your unmet expectations. At this time, you need:
It's time to see expectations!
I'm sure you'll be excited to hear that what you expect from your relatives when they communicate with you is not what you really want!
It's time to understand your feelings!
I really hope they understand my current painful feelings and ask fewer questions. It would be great if they let me grieve in peace!
Let's try less preaching!
I really hope that when they talk about you, they don't talk to you like they're teaching a child. It would be so much better if they treated you like an independent person and let you take responsibility for yourself!
I'm so excited to help in any way I can!
Your practical help may be what you want to express in the title, but you have omitted it in the content description, without saying it out loud. So let's make sure we include it in the content description! Take care of your father.
? Meet expectations
Express your feelings sincerely!
So, take the initiative to express your expectations! That way, your relatives will understand your feelings and meet your needs.
The effect will be amazing!
It's so great when expectations are met!
Your relatives will see what's going on with your father and know exactly what you need. They'll be there for you, offering a helping hand or great advice to make you feel better and meet your expectations.
Effective communication is the key to success!
Communication is the exchange of information, which is the process of conveying a message to an intended recipient in order to achieve a desired response. And when this process is successful, it's a beautiful thing! Effective communication is achieved when this process is successful.
Communication is a two-way street! It includes both verbal and non-verbal messages, with the non-verbal part often being more important than the verbal part. Effective communication is of great significance in family communication, interpersonal relationships, and complex social relationships.
Effective communication is a four-step process that can transform your relationships!
Let's jump right in with step one: express your feelings, not just emotions!
Step 2: It's time to express what you want, not what you don't want! Let it out! Express that you are angry, not that you are angry about expressing it.
Step 3: It's time to express your needs, not complaints! Don't let the other person guess what you want.
Step 4: Express where you want to go, not complain about where you are; look at the end result, not get stuck in the event.
If you find that you and your relatives have not been able to communicate effectively, it means that there's an opportunity for improvement! It simply means that one of the four steps is missing or the wrong method is being used, which has caused you to feel annoyed and distressed today. Using effective communication is important for building good family relationships and personal growth.
3⃣️, Empathize with others
Empathy is an amazing thing! It means putting yourself in another person's shoes and understanding them better than ever before. It's not just about seeing things from their perspective, but also feeling their emotions. It's a higher level of understanding than just thinking from another's perspective. Empathy is a powerful tool that can help us connect with others in a deeper way.
Once you have a deep understanding of other people's experiences and emotions, it's time to feel what they are thinking!
Once you can put yourself in your father's shoes and empathize with the advice of your relatives, you'll be free from trouble! You'll accept their actions and thoughts with understanding. You'll also let emotions drift further and further away from you.
Questioner, I'm so excited to share some tips with you! Learn to manage your emotions, see expectations, meet expectations, and empathize with others. You will let go of unnecessary worries and move forward with a light heart. I really hope these will be helpful for you!
Wishing you the very best!
Comments
I understand how overwhelming this situation must be for you. It's hard to lose someone so dear, especially when you're also responsible for caring for your father. The wellmeaning relatives might not realize how their questions can reopen wounds. I think it's important to set boundaries with them and let them know what kind of support would actually help you both.
It sounds like a really tough time for you. You're juggling so much right now, from grieving the loss of your mom to taking care of your dad. Maybe you could gently explain to your relatives that while their concern is appreciated, practical support would mean more than advice or casual offers to socialize. Sometimes people just need to hear clearly what you need.
This must be incredibly draining for you. Everyone processes grief differently, and it seems like the attention from your relatives is adding to your stress rather than alleviating it. Perhaps finding a way to express your needs without feeling guilty could help. Talking to a counselor might give you some tools on how to communicate effectively with your family during this difficult period.
Losing your mother and dealing with your father's health must be emotionally exhausting. It's okay to feel overwhelmed by the sudden increase in attention from relatives. Setting clear expectations about what kind of support you need could ease some of your anxiety. Maybe creating a small circle of trusted friends or family who truly understand and can offer practical help would make things a bit lighter for you.