Breaking the Chains: Redefining Family Bonds Beyond Blood Ties

Blood is thicker than water

If that’s not a manipulation tactic, then I don’t know what is.

I’ve heard that line so much throughout my life from people that wanted me to do things that I didn’t want to do. It wasn’t for me to grow, but for them to have power over me. To control me and all my actions for their benefit and not mine.

Honestly I lacked boundaries and never really learned how to build them until much later in life.

I always felt like that quote kept you trapped to be with your family, no matter how toxic the situation was.

It felt suffocating to me. Stifling.

So I looked the original quote up.

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”

Wow 🤯🤯

Like seriously. How does blood is thicker than water come from that?

I haven’t looked it up yet. But coming from a big family, I can see why.

Like a way to keep the family together through all things.

But a while ago, I shared a video on my Instagram stories that pretty much said toxic is toxic no matter which family member it comes from.

And it is so true. The blood is thicker than water quote becomes null and void when a family member is using it specifically to excuse their toxic behavior.

It doesn’t matter if you are my mom, my day, sister, brother, etc, if you are trying to keep me connected to you for your own toxic agenda, then you do not deserve a seat at my table.

No one should ever make you feel inferior to them. Toxic behavior is toxic behavior.

There are only two options to keep your peace around toxic people.

Set strong boundaries for yourself. If they choose to break that, that’s on them, not on you.
Remove them from your circle. I get it. It’s hard to cut a family member from your life. The love is there and it will always be there. But you don’t need to sacrifice your peace to stay with your family.

As the original quote shows, you can create your own family that doesn’t have to include a blood tie to you.

I mean, don’t we as a society already do that when we marry someone who has not shared the same womb as us?

Something to think chew on when these type of manipulation tactics are being used.

Do we sacrifice out peace or maintain it?