killerinstinct

What does one do when everyone has an opinion on how to manage your life and what is being said isn't wrong just not right for you but right for society in general.. Or right if we lived in an ideal world.

FireSprite

Nod & smile..... and change the topic.

Eauchiche

OY! People coming to my side of the street drive me nuts!!!
Usually it's former "in recovery" people who aren't working a program any more...
Good luck!

Thumper

Exactly!

I also quit talking to those people about my life or the topics in my life that I don't want to listen to them ramble and lecture about.

Thumper

Or people that have never heard or recovery. Nothing will drive me to strengthen my own recovery like spending time with someone that has never heard of it. I do not want to be that person in 25 years. No thank you.

Hope7726

Usually there is no reasoning with people who feel the need to offer their opinion or advice without having been asked. So I don't even waste my energy on them. I like the smile and nod approach. Or sometimes I just sit there and stare at them while they're talking with no expression on my face and I don't acknowledgement what they said. I simply change the subject or go back to what I was doing/saying.

I did have to talk to one of my close friends about her judgmental behavior. At first it came out as anger because it had been bothering me for awhile. Once I cooled down I explained to her that I was in a really tough position and I wasn't sure I was making the right decisions, but she should trust my judgment and please just be there for me.

ladyscribbler

Sounds like you've met my mom.

LBrain

or you speaking of people in general or that guy I used to work with who knew everything about everything?

some people 'try to help' - they believe by offering up opinions or advice,
sometimes just nod and change the subject, or just say thanks and move along, you can roll your eyes as you turn away.

Katchie

That made me smile...lol

I have some members of my family that do that. I just say thank you and move on. Sometimes it's really helpful info tho. and other times I'm puzzled and wonder if they really get it -- usually they don't.

thotful

Yeah, tough one.

With people I don't know well, strangers, or even most friends, the smile, nod, change subject works OK for me.

Not so much with my family who have to be all-up in my business ("i'll tell it like it is", "here's what you do", "I'm gonna make a prediction", "you what your problem is?", etc). Plus, they need to gossip about everyone. Not interested...no way. So, smile and nod won't work for that (not for me). Trying to figure out a polite way to exit the conversation but be clear about what I'm feeling uncomfortable with. Been silent about my feelings for too long. Tired of saying nothing. Didn't make me feel any better.

LexieCat

How about, "Hm, yes, that's something to think about, for sure."