Band Aides

I need to learn to be supportive of people without feeling like I have to fix their problems. I am the perpetual people pleaser and try to be the band aid for every boo boo that ails my friends and family. But I can't do it any more. People aren't seeing that my role as peacemaker/nurturer is ruining me. I am tired, stressed out and nearing my wits end. I'm out of band aids and low and behold I didn't save any for myself. I gave them all away.

I want to be able to take away the pain and suffering of everyone who matters in my life. I want to make it all better, but I don't have the power to do that. I need to remove myself from everyone else's battles and let nature take it's course. But it's just so hard for me to sit back and watch my family fall apart. Maybe I'm not giving everyone enough credit, maybe they can fix this all on their own and they don't need me to save them.

It's seemed like for so long I have listened to people vent, that I don't even know how to have a real two-way conversation anymore. I only know how to listen and give advice these days. I've been so distracted by everyone else's problems that I'm running out of energy to deal with my own stuff. And my laundry list is pretty long.

This doesn't mean that I love my friends or family any less but it does mean I need to start loving myself more.