You helped people. Did the best you could doing for them
and sometimes your best wasn't good enough.
For years, you listened to things you really didn't want, went places when you preferred to stay home, and did other people-pleasing things. Now that you aren't doing as much or nothing at all for those same people (possibly drawing a line in the sand with them--establishing boundaries), those same individuals look to pay you back for every time they felt offended due to: your not answering their calls promptly, visiting them when invited, or offering your assistance when needed.
You went from being a God-sent angel in your emotionally unstable relatives' eyes to just another you fill in the blank. People like this don't think outside of their emotions. Oftentimes illogical, they are hard to please anyway. The more you do, the more they want. You feel angry, bitter, and might think negatively about them, but don't! Allow yourself to detach and move on to greener pastures that are emotionally freeing and not physically draining or binding.
Enjoy your holiday season in peace and avoid those emotions that others want you to have because they are so miserable. We have one life to live, so use it wisely! Spend time with people who you enjoy being around whether family or not!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of Should I Go to the Party? and other emotionally freeing books.