Hey @Sunset_Crab
Thank you so much for sharing what you’re experiencing right now. I resonated with your thoughts and feelings a lot, and want to let you know, first of all, that you are such a kind and empathetic friend ❤️
Feeling tired of having to mediate between your friends is so so so fair! I see that you’ve been putting up with all of this for a while, and I’m so sorry you’ve experienced it for so long. Although doing certain things to make sure others around us are satisfied can feel so rewarding and necessary, I think doing these things too much really does add so much stress on our mental well-being.
Since you’ve been doing it for so long, the idea of removing yourself as the mediator between your friends can feel upsetting and uncomfortable. Especially since it feels like you’re the only one that can keep everyone happy, this responsibility can make people pleasers put less time and energy on themselves and direct it towards others instead.
But I think it’s so so so important for you to give that time and energy back to yourself 🥺 It sounds like you’re self-aware of how this situation is negatively affecting your well-being, and that’s an amazing first step! As you mentioned, affirming your boundaries is super important here, but I completely understand how hard it is to actually declare them and say no. The uncomfortable reality is that without expressing these boundaries, others might not ever know that they’re crossing them. Yes, your friends might feel hurt or upset, but as long as you communicate with them kindly, honestly and clearly, I’m sure they would understand. Express your boundaries with the intention of being compassionate to yourself – it’s truly an act of self-love! And if they don’t respond how you’d like them to, it’s not your fault.
Remember that you are not responsible for how others are feeling. You deserve to protect your own well-being as well!
And of course, as the others mentioned, try to make extra effort to practice self-care during this time 🥰🥰 Take care and be kind to yourself!
