Partners who don't do as much as we'd like. Colleagues who seem downright antagonistic. The friend who forgot to text on our birthday. Sounds like a recipe for frustration, resentment, and hurt feelings. But it doesn't have to be.

Patriarchal and cultural socialization shape a set of rules for how others should treat us. We end up carrying this into our relationships at home and at work. And it rarely serves us up something more than disappointment and anger.

But when you learn to recognize your relationship manuals, you'll have a secret weapon that will help you lead yourself and negotiate with others, from a place of true confidence and power.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How our socialization becomes a Manual for how partners, colleagues and friends "should" behave

• The role of culture, sexual orientation, and gender-based socialization in writing our Manual

• Why tactics like "chore strikes" often backfire and lead to more resentment at home

• The difference between healthy expectations and a relationship "Manual"

Get free resources for better work-life balance from The Mental Offload at www.thementaloffload.com.