Happy!
Forums:
No contact with SD = a much happier life.
I knew i was unhappy. But didnt realise how much all the drama affected me.
No contact best decision ever made 
Sad for hubby, but he has had my back. Saw what a bleep she was.
Things can change.
I didn't understand the
I didn't understand the degree to which I was affected by my step situation until I was on the other side and started to recover. Physically, emotionally, spiritually - I'd been worn down by Other People's Problems. I was nervous and jumpy, perpetually on high alert. It took a long time to calm down and feel safe again after I cut contact with DH's people, and longer still to rebuild my self esteem.
Another sad result was how little I expected from people - I remember offering to be the driver on a trip with some new friends. They asked how much they owed for gas! Whipped out their phones to calculate it, and put cash in the glove box! And when we stopped for lunch, they paid their share! When I talked about it with my therapist, she said pointed out they just wanted my company, not my wallet, and that's what healthy relationships look like.
I am SO much stronger and healthier now.
I hear you
I am enjoying MY life now i have stopped trying to be part of theirs through a false sense of family. They are not my family. Was just hard to learn that. wish i hadnt taken so long.
This is exactly how i feel -
This is exactly how i feel - I had a similar situation - 10 years of BS from SD, toxic MIL, HCBM - coming on 2 years of disengagment and i feel great but not 100% back to myself. More recently there has been more 'activity' from SD24 and i have reacted so much to it because ive got used to living without abuse and it's such a shock to my system. A few years ago, I would have just rolled with it because i became used to it all.
I read a great quote that said "Our anger is that part of us that recognises that we have been wronged".
Congrats!
Crazy but sometimes we don't fully understand how toxic people are until we cut them out of our lives.