Oooh @Former-Member this is a really good point and I'm glad you've brought it back for further discussion here 😊
Assertiveness and setting boundaries can be really tricky when it comes to needing help and support. I'm not sure I necessarily know what the answer is- it's likely different for everyone and also depending on the situation, but I feel like 'I' statements are likely to be super helpful, whatever the specific scenario. There might be a few possibilities in the kinds of specific situations you've described, like having a conversation to establish boundaries before you're in a position of needing support (where possible) so the expectations and boundaries are already understood, or maybe seeking to have a conversation in the moment when something arises (or as soon after as possible). Something I've found helpful for myself in similar situations is having an idea of a preferable alternative I can suggest. For example, in the context of receiving support, outlining what support I find helpful (I also talk about what I find unhelpful on occasion too) and sometimes, why it’s helpful/ unhelpful or otherwise preferable for me.
I feel like something important to remember in these kinds of scenarios as well is that it is your support, so it needs to work for you. if it's not for whatever reason, it's OK, and important to speak up and seek to change things. that's just my thoughts, but I'm interested to hear the perspectives of others as well! @tonys @Appleblossom @TAB What do y'all think?
