8 Ways to Overcome Anger and Resentment in Your Stepfamily

As much as we don’t want them to be there, anger and resentment are common in stepfamilies. It’s easy for a stepparent to become angry that their partner’s ex isn’t holding up their end of their responsibilities, or angry that their partner doesn’t notice how much they are doing.

And it’s easy for a stepparent to become resentful about running an entire household while helping raise another person’s children or feeling like they are being taken for granted.

Anger and resentment are common in any family — not just stepfamilies — and part of life, but are not something you should make a point of holding onto. We may be justified in our anger and resentment, but dwelling on it only hurts us, making us bitter and unhappy.

Besides being harmful to your relationship, anger and resentment can raise your blood pressure, damage your heart (both emotionally and physically), and increase your risk for depression and anxiety. It can also lead to peptic ulcers, heartburn, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, a repressed immune system, rashes, hives, and an entire host of other medical problems.

It’s easy to justify staying in a position of anger. It’s often a natural and normal reaction to life’s events. We can always find people to support our feelings, and good friends and family often take our side because that’s what we expect from them. But, as much as possible, you should let go of any anger and resentment you are experiencing.

Here are eight things you can do to do just that: - See more at: http://stepfamilycenter.com/8-ways-to-overcome-anger-and-resentment/