From SGI USA, I'm Cassidy Bradford, and this is Budability.

The weekly series where I talk with Buddhists from all walks of life about the power we each have to change our lives and the world around us.

Do you ever just wish that your aunt wouldn't do that annoying thing that she does?

The one that makes the family party very difficult to enjoy.

Or maybe your parents keep making decisions that you do not agree with.

When they do the things we want, we're happy.

But when they don't, we're not so happy.

Buddhism teaches that our environment and the people in it are a reflection of us.

Rather than pointing outward and complaining about someone else,

which we really can't control

anyway, we can look inward and transform ourselves.

Buddhism teaches us that when we change, our environment will reflect that.

Relationships are complex, and change doesn't happen overnight, but Buddhist practice can help us transform

every relationship through transforming ourselves. Today, we're talking all about the challenges

of family relationships and wanting to control others. Emma Grover of Oakland shares how

through focusing on her own capacity for growth,

she started to believe that her family could do the same.

As a heads up, today's episode mentions struggling with sobriety,

so please take care when listening.

My name is Emma Grover.

I'm 25 years old, and I was born in New York City, but I currently live in Oakland, California.

And I started practicing Buddhism, actually, because I was born into this practice.

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