I see people who are struggling or hurting and my first instinct is to help. I try to think of all the ways I can make things easier for them.

It doesn’t matter if I know them or not. I don’t care who the person is, if they need help, I want to do that for them. I will help without them even having to ask.

I want to help because I know what it is like to need it and not receive it. I know how it feels to be struggling and not be able to reach out to someone to help shoulder the burden.

I don’t like to see people suffering. I always feel the need to solve a problem if I can. I am a good problem solver. I am good in a crisis. It’s one of my best qualities.

Unfortunately, that is something I have had to stop doing all of the time. It is for my own mental health.

When I realized that other people’s problems were bringing too much stress to my own life, I had to take a step back and realize that I can’t be everyone’s hero.

I Can’t Be Your Hero

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I was putting everyone’s needs ahead of my own. I was shouldering their burdens for them. The load was getting much too heavy for me to carry.

There are so many people struggling in this world. I always feel the need to jump in and come up with a plan to make things better for them.

That’s not my job though. I can not save everyone. I can’t help everyone. At least not without sacrificing my own well being.

Another problem with putting other people first is the fact that you can be taken advantage of. I help because I want to. I don’t do it for recognition.

People Take Advantage Of Your Good Heart

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There are people out there though that seem to seek out people like me. It attracts the users. I learned that the hard way. They know I won’t say no to them. They sense my good heart.

There were people who started to assume that I will drop everything to help them and never help me in my time of need. It made me realize that I wasn’t able to make everyone happy.

These same people will always need my help without ever giving back. I couldn’t let them take advantage of that. I couldn’t let them become dependent on my help.

People might think I am selfish now for not helping the way I used to. They might think that I have turned into an uncaring person. That’s not true though. I just can’t keep giving parts of myself when I have so little of myself to give.

They Might Not Want Your Help

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Another thing I had to realize was the fact that just because someone comes to me to vent their problems, doesn’t mean they are looking for a solution.

I should know this because I don’t always want a solution when I vent my problems.

Sometimes people just want to be heard. They don’t want to you jump up with a solution. They don’t need you to solve the problems. I have gotten better about letting people come to me to just talk. I think they appreciate that.

I might not have all the answers to life’s problems but I am always willing to lend an ear. Sometimes that’s all I can give.

People Will Understand Your Need To Say No

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My worth isn’t based off of what I can do for other people. Yes, it is a good trait that I have but that isn’t the only reason I should be valued.

It isn’t selfish to put my needs before other people. I shouldn’t have to shoulder everyone’s burden. I don’t have to wear myself down to the point of exhaustion while helping people.