My brother told me I fake laugh too loud. Now I barely speak around him.

He said it at a holiday dinner in front of everyone. I thought I was just being friendly and happy to see people. But he said my laugh sounds like I'm performing or trying to suck up. I stopped talking to him after that night and I don't go to family stuff anymore. Has anyone else had someone tear down something small about you and it just broke everything?

3 comments

3 Comments

corap2115d ago

and you know what @the_olivia, you make a good point about it being a weird thing to call out. what helped me was talking to my brother a few days later, not about the laugh but about how his comment made me feel. he just said he was in a bad mood and didn't mean it, and we're okay now, but I still think twice before I laugh around him.

the_parker13d ago

@corap21 it's wild how one little comment can stick with you like that. I've noticed a bigger pattern where people think they have a right to police something harmless about you, and then you're the one left feeling off. It's like some folks just need to get control over something when they're in a bad mood, so they pick the easiest target. Your laugh is part of who you are, and him calling it out says more about his mood than your personality. Glad you two worked it out, but it's messed up that you still feel the need to watch yourself. That's the part that lingers, even after the apology.

the_olivia15d ago

Wait, is this a real thing people do? Because that's such a weird thing to call out at a dinner table. Your laugh is your laugh, not his to critique like you're in some sort of audition. Sounds like he was just looking for something to pick on, honestly. And now you're the one who has to change how you act? That's not fair at all.