Getting Out of Your Victim Habits:

As a child you were often victimized simply by virtue of your stature within your family. Your strings were being pulled constantly, and while you complained privately, you also knew there was very little you could do to take control. You knew you couldn't support yourself, and that if you didn't go along with the program outlined by the big people in your life, there were very few acceptable alternatives available to you. All you had to do was try running away from home for twenty minutes to see how helpless you were on your own. So you went along, and you learned to accept your reality. And while you worked at attaining some independece, you were often content to let others do your thinking and life-directing for you.

As an adult, you may still be carrying many left-over habits from childhood, which made some practical sense then, but which set you up as an easy victim now. Getting out of your victim traps, involves, above all developing new habits.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer / Pulling Your Own Strings: Dynamic techniques for dealing with other people and living your life as you choose.