I can relate to what you're going through. One of the things that my T warned me is that my friendships and relationships will change as a result of me becoming more assertive.

I started creating boundaries with my husband....and he lashes out. He is resisting the changes that I've made....but I am sticking with it. He will not be permitted to treat me the way he wants to treat me. He will only be permitted to treat me the way I want to be treated. And if he doesn't, then communication is over.

Same thing with the issue with my neighbors last night. I literally threw them out of my house. In the past, I would either be passive and let them say what they wanted even if I disagreed....out of fear and low self-worth. I am still struggling with that, but I realized last night just how far I've come. Once the discussion with my neighbors became confrontational, argumentative, and something I was not comfortable with, I told them they could leave. They were absolutely stunned! I then forcefully told them to GET OUT OF MY HOUSE....and the backlash I got from them was NOT nice.

I am not happy about the repercussions that I'm about to face....and I fear how this will play out as far as my daughter goes...especially since these are parents of her friends.

But I am in the process of retraining those around me that I will only accept being treated a certain way. And if they don't like it....then that's on them.

Easier said than done.....I never thought I'd get this far, but I am making progress....And as scary as it feels, it's not as awful of a feeling as backing down and allowing myself be treated in a way that does not feel good to me. I am worth more than that.