Yup! This may sound like a paradox considering my advice, but...

I did not speak to any family member from early 2008 until 2016, it was not a fun split for me however it was necessary.

"At night, I slept like a baby"

I was lighter in my demeanor, spirit and in my everyday life. It was as though the source of many of my problems, stresses and worries had been removed.

When I did re-establish contact I was not the same man, I had changed, I valued my new inner peace and mental clarity and to be perfectly honest I had a lot more self esteem and valued me and my time and opinions a lot more.

My friend, please don't think my advice about loving them anyway was a catch all solution or that it is any sort of an indictment on your decision, nobody on the planet knows more about your inner turmoil, confidence and stresses than you and if that clean break got you to where you needed to be then fantastic I am extremely glad that you put your own welfare first!

Take good care, here's to the future :)