That’s their voice, isn’t it? That’s the enforcement mechanism. Stay small. Stay appropriate to your station. Don’t get ideas above yourself.

…Or what was it, “Put on your Big Girl panties.” 

It actually stunned me. Froze me in my tracks, head shaking disbelief at the inappropriate, when I heard it in real-time.  

First of all !!   

My underwear are Not topic of public conversation. 

(I knew that since grade school.) 

Secondly, what are big girl versions?  

What does that even mean?

AS bad as “Don’t get your panties in a twist.” 

Is that how you know you’re wearing the big girl ones?

 Do they get twisted?  

Not.. the triple punch results desired/anticipated [most dogs bark when chain yanked]

Throw-Off >> in Tone, inappropriate topic/language, and often in gestures.

Demand >> Put your (attitude adjustment) on.

Demean >> Big girl (implying you are not being adult/mature)

Pow pow pow. Outta Nowhere!!  O.o

Spinning superior scowl down raised nose towards >> ((supplication … anticipated)) 

Finding not cowering but repulsion and offense instead. 

How dare you attempt to put my delicates in your spin cycle! 

Same bully later complained about me “airing dirty laundry.”

At no point did I mention laundry of any kind, nor washing machines or dryers.

Idiom – refers to revealing private or embarrassing matters publicly.

OR

Reality check: 

What was I doing >> Really??

Outlining how Bully ambushed a neighborhood function (by inviting people who lived a county away) to participate while pretending she was “helping” fill seats, as she expects me to rearrange furniture to accommodate her whim.

Foot-in-the-door maneuver. If they force a compromise once, then they know the pressure points to hit -next round. They get quicker in the psyche-bludgeon, and the demands get more costly, not just in uninvited guests.

They slowly ease into (main character syndrome) Main Decision Maker … authority … lower case and italicized >> show the lack of uprightness. [not Authority, main author of the story] [Hint:  that’s You.]

About the art: Repurposed one of my Letters to toxic sister 2023-2024 collage, originally titled Therapeutic Route, upper right, blurred to avoid real names etc, It was getting dense with the layers, so cleaned up and repurposed to share some books that pivoted me… that were pivotal to changing my world view. Summaries for all except Design Paradigms. I will make a post about that book soon.  It’s so seemingly off topic to mental health, recovering from co-dependency, or overcoming creative barriers.  I think that’s why it was able to unlock something that therapy couldn’t.  Logical Fallacies. The Psychotherapy Academy slides are from a lecture I found, on YouTube, you wouldn’t believe how much professional training and academic lectures are on there!!