28 - Still Talking About… The Ex-Girlfriend

This week, Janelle is tackling a topic that generated a lot of strong opinions from followers… What happens when your mother-in-law continues to maintain contact with your partner’s ex?   This all starts with a listener sharing how her mother-in-law has maintained a close relationship with her son's former partner, despite being told that it makes him uncomfortable. The listener wanted to know whether this is something you can set a boundary around… and the answers weren't nearly as straightforward as you might think.   Janelle also gets into the difference between a request and a boundary, why some family situations are more complicated than a simple right-or-wrong answer, and how to navigate relationships that continue to hurt your feelings even when nobody is technically doing anything "wrong."   You’ll also hear about the importance of making space for uncomfortable emotions, why validation doesn't always mean agreement, and how relationships can sometimes be maintained without becoming the center of someone's life.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.   Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!