- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
- Messages
- 1,124
I remember Chase said in an article that once relationship dynamics are set, they are hard to change. For instance, when you haven't seen friends you grew up with for years and then reconnect with them, even if you have leveled up, they will probably treat you the same and you will have a tendency to fall back into old patterns.
This is exactly the situation I want advice on. Specifically how to avoid falling into the old dynamic. I have recently reconnected with some old friends from high school. We were very close, and I consider them good friends. However, as an adult I realized I wasn't treated as well as I would have liked, and that I needed better boundaries and a little more assertiveness. Back then, I viewed myself as not being very good with girls and they were all getting laid regularly. I want to avoid that mental frame popping up.
Honestly I already hung out with them and it was a great time, and I think I handled myself well because I care much less about what they think of me than when we were younger. I know that part of the issue with the dynamic was that I think very differently and have different interests and have since then made new friends much more aligned with myself. When I was younger I would take it personally that I wasn't good enough or respected enough when I'd express my views and offer suggestions on activities only to have them shot down.
I will probably be seeing a lot more of my high school social circle, people whom I was also very close with, and some of these other people the dynamic was even more disempowering feeling on my end. Specifically one fellow I've mentioned before who had god level pussy slaying powers. He would put me down at times, and looking back I think it was because he was jealous of me (He couldn't grow a beard and I could, musicianship, skateboarding). Meeting him will be interesting because I think he has a family now and a kid, and I'm still a bachelor wanting to travel the world.
As I'm writing this, I'm wondering if I've come across the solution. I think I really cared about what these friends thought of me and when they couldn't relate to me it made me feel discounted. Now that I care less about what they think, that might prevent falling into that same dynamic.
Thoughts?
This is exactly the situation I want advice on. Specifically how to avoid falling into the old dynamic. I have recently reconnected with some old friends from high school. We were very close, and I consider them good friends. However, as an adult I realized I wasn't treated as well as I would have liked, and that I needed better boundaries and a little more assertiveness. Back then, I viewed myself as not being very good with girls and they were all getting laid regularly. I want to avoid that mental frame popping up.
Honestly I already hung out with them and it was a great time, and I think I handled myself well because I care much less about what they think of me than when we were younger. I know that part of the issue with the dynamic was that I think very differently and have different interests and have since then made new friends much more aligned with myself. When I was younger I would take it personally that I wasn't good enough or respected enough when I'd express my views and offer suggestions on activities only to have them shot down.
I will probably be seeing a lot more of my high school social circle, people whom I was also very close with, and some of these other people the dynamic was even more disempowering feeling on my end. Specifically one fellow I've mentioned before who had god level pussy slaying powers. He would put me down at times, and looking back I think it was because he was jealous of me (He couldn't grow a beard and I could, musicianship, skateboarding). Meeting him will be interesting because I think he has a family now and a kid, and I'm still a bachelor wanting to travel the world.
As I'm writing this, I'm wondering if I've come across the solution. I think I really cared about what these friends thought of me and when they couldn't relate to me it made me feel discounted. Now that I care less about what they think, that might prevent falling into that same dynamic.
Thoughts?
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