Hello, hello, hello. This is a Between the Sessions minisode. In this series, I'm revisiting

some of the most popular articles from the 20-year baggage reclaim blog archive, sharing timeless

lessons on love, care, trust and respect, and recognizing when you're in unavailable or shady

territory.

Today, I'm sharing, when someone's imposing something on you,

they're trying to remove your choice and overstepping your boundaries,

which I wrote 11 years ago in 2014,

and it remains one of baggage reclaimed most red. When I think about why this post struck

accord, I think it's because a lot of people are waking up to the realization that some of the

people they deal with are forceful and manipulative, often with a smile on their face. It's also because

many of us force ourselves into things

and impose upon ourselves in order to facilitate others imposing on us.

And it can be hard to see the wood from the trees,

especially if we or they are making it as if their request or behavior is reasonable. Okay, let's get into it.

Recently, I frequently use the terms imposing and imposed. I realized that you always know there's a major breach of boundaries and that

you're dealing with somebody who just doesn't gel on the core values front when they introduce

something in a fashion that directly or indirectly communicates that you must do it or else.

Or they try to force you to accept their inappropriate or downright shady behavior.

I don't like being imposed upon, and I know I'm not alone in this. Many stories baggage

reclaimed readers share with me involve them feeling powerless, intimidated, blindsided, anxious, or struggling to understand why they feel so

compressed by someone who's smiling to their face and telling them that they care or that

what they're doing is for the best. In these instances, they're about dealing with someone who,

...