Arthur Young2 said:Quincy:You’re going to need a top-tier psychologist to untangle that mess; honestly, I’m not even sure there's a quick fix. I've been studying psychology and buying up books on the subject for two years now, and even I'm stumped.
Megan Brooks11 As if I haven't heard this all before.
The issue is that she’s perpetually unhappy; no matter what I do, she finds something to complain about. It’s reached a point where I’ve just stopped talking to her altogether because I simply don't have the bandwidth for a constant stream of grievances and nitpicking. Honestly, I have enough of my own problems to deal with without having to shoulder hers every single day. 🙄
Am I supposed to be satisfied with her? Honestly, I don’t think that's even possible because she has an issue with absolutely everything. All I want is to get things done my way, but it’s always the same story—"no, you have to do it this way," "that’s not right," and before I know it, we’re mid-argument. I'm just completely over it.🙄😢
It might look like I’m the one to blame for her being so unhappy, but there isn't much actual ground I can stand on until I land a job—it's not like I'm just sitting around the house waiting for things to happen; quite the opposite, really.
She was already miserable long before I ever showed up; honestly, I think my presence just gave her an excuse to dial the drama up to eleven. It’s not like I’m exactly thrilled about being stuck with her either, so now I'm left wondering what my next move should even be. 🤷?
Even though the book claims:
Even the most miserable person usually has at least one little thing that keeps them going.
Maybe try actually proving yourself to her for once.
Just get moving and start doing something; if people start coming for you with their criticisms, just shut them down and move on.
Alright, hold on a second while I get this finished, then you can decide for yourself if it’s actually any good or not.
Just keep grinding until the end, even if she burns the whole house down.
Just make sure you actually know what you're doing first; if you screw this up, there's really no coming back from it.
Once you're finished, maybe ask her if she’s doing okay.
If you’re certain this is the right move, then she’ll be fine, and once she's actually satisfied, maybe she'll finally get the hint and cut back on all the constant criticism.
I honestly can't believe I actually figured out how to fix this. xD
Nice approach🙂) The critique here is that by following your advice, she ends up being subservient to her mother once again. I get the feeling that even after she asks for approval, her mother will just find some tiny detail to latch onto just to vent her own frustrations. It's a clever tactical plan to disarm her. Based on what we know, since she has no social circle, her frustration is just leaking out everywhere... One suggestion of mine would be to "let's be friends." It would work like this: the daughter sits quietly next to her grumpy mother and starts talking about some of the mother's old acquaintances... Since the mother is such a critic and a grouch, you can bridge the gap by subtly agreeing with her views—even if it's a bit of a facade since the daughter still has her own opinions—so that the daughter becomes a fellow critic, using people the mother knows as targets for her complaints. This creates a shared connection and a dialogue, slowly drawing her in. Eventually, she'll start initiating conversations herself because she's found someone who speaks her language. The tension eases, opening the door for more subtle moves like joking around, going for walks, or building a genuine friendship while still respecting her role as the mother, which is ultimately what she wants...