Do you always get your way? Do you push your children, your spouse or your co-workers until you get what you want? Dr. Robin says when you behave this way and push the issue—especially when you know others have a reason to resist your request—you are going to cause resentment. "What it does is it creates a bigger barrier and a wall between you and those whom you love," she says.
Perhaps the issue you're pushing is to be loved or wanted by someone who doesn't reciprocate your feelings—Dr. Robin says this is a lost cause. "You can't make someone appreciate you. You can't make someone love you. You can't make someone do anything," she says.
Even if your intentions are good, Dr. Robin says no one should feel pushed to do something they don't want to do. "If you've tried to manipulate and scheme, even for a good reason, to get someone to do the right thing, it's not the right thing if you have to force someone to do it," she says.
