Headed home to the family

I’ve lived down here in the San Fernando Valley for half a year now. My specific area of the Los Angeles metropolitan area is a bit slow, and, at the same time, Hollywood is only a stones throw away. Public transportation down here in Los Angels is, however, better than in my hometown.

The San Francisco Bay Area is where I was born and raised. I lived with my parents in the northern suburbs of Marin County. Now it’s time for me to return in order to visit with my family. While this is not my first time visiting, every visit brings a new challenge. This time around I have chosen to remain the person who I have grown into.

In the past my pattern has been to return to the level of maturity I had when I was last at home. This level is not my highest level of functioning. I become lazy, refuse to cooperate unless they are buying me something, and become my old flakey self.

From a thoughts point there is a massive justification that prevents me from acting my maturity level. Thought: The way my parents treat me leads to my behaviors; they treat me like a child therefore I act like one. The way they act is out of my control; therefore the way I act is out of my control. Solution: Yes, the way my parents act is entirely out of control. There is only one thing I have control of, how I respond to their actions. Implementation: I am my own man. I can maintain my own mentality in this situation. I am mature enough to handle anyway they treat me!

– Derek