Be rude.

I lived in your same situation for about....8 years now. The thing is, you can always find at least one person to listen and they are worth their weight in gold. If you're putting more into a relationship/friendship then they are not worth your time. Your time is valuable and people need to appreciate what you're doing for them.

I've reluctantly ignored 4/5 people this week alone because I was not happy with the state of our relationship. I think it requires confidence but people will respect you more if you're not their doormat. If they don't then they're not worth it.

Thank you! Ibwas told once before half a lifetime ago I was selfish and don't think of others. So I think this is why I am the way I am but now its eating me and hurts me. I will try to do this more one step at a time.

My thing is that drama and other things don't just come into our lives unless we open a door to it. You need to learn to stop being everyone support system especially if they aren't giving you the same courtesy. My thing is that do you think you deserve that? Don't you deserve to have someone there for you?

I've had to cut off a few friends and limit my interaction with my family and honestly my life has been better for it.You need to have standards for yourself.

I know its hard but anytime someone as me for something and I know they aren't respectful towards me I tell them i am busy or I have made plans for myself.

Also consider who was calling you selfish. I had an ex tell me that I was antisocial when in reality i just didn't like his friends. Sometimes people say things to you so that it can benefit them. Maybe someone called you selfish because you stopped doing things for them and they wanted to use you.

Its okay to say to yourself. "I deserve better" I don't think people treat themselves with the respect they deserve.

I have always been amazed at how much people share with me and come to me with their problems. People I hardly know tell me some pretty deep stuff. I have let go of family and friends that drained me with their problems. I ended up empty from so many people taking from me but never being there to give back. I recently went through a devastating betrayal, break up and then a miscarriage. My sister was here the one day I was in the middle of losing my baby. She knew what has happening, hugged me said "it's for the best" and left. Never even called back to see how I was doing! Three weeks later her son crashed his dirt bike and had to come to the hospital in my city, and who did she call at 1am for support and later a place to sleep? Me and of course I was there for her. I think I will always be there for others but I am going to have to learn to say no. She stayed here, slept late and ruined my Mother's Day plans with my boys and friends, and never even wished me a ahoy Mother's Day! After that I decided to just no be so available to people.

We teach people how to treat us. I'm a firm believer in the law of reciprocity. You owe no one, other than yourself anything.

We all have friends...and friends. We have those who are more like acquaintances, and those who have our backs and lift us up. The older I become...I've released I have few "friends" and that's ok!! I'd rather have a handful of true, and got my back,...than those who are just here to "take". However, we allow people to take.

Surround yourself with the true ones. If you don't have one now, find one!