As a parent of a grown child, you cannot solve every problem that comes his or her way. As an employee, you cannot address every issue that arises in every department. Dr. Robin says recognizing the role you have in every aspect of your life is important because once you know it, you can reduce the risk of unnecessary heartache. "When you don't know what your role really is, you know what happens? … You end up getting in stuff that you don't belong in. You find yourself depleted, frustrated, exhausted, angry, depressed," she says.
Assess your role in every relationship and try to stick to it, Dr. Robin says. "It doesn't mean that you are going to be totally comfortable [and] that doesn't mean you won't feel some regret that you are not superwoman or superman," she says. "[But] once you find out what your role is … every relationship will become transformed, become new."
