“Stop making yourself always available for someone that doesn’t even ask you how your day was.”
Sure, it is important to show respect to others, but it is even more important that you respect yourself first and this starts with not letting others take advantage of you.
You need to be able to recognize the common signs of being taken advantage of, if you are going to stop it.
4 Signs You are Being Taken Advantage of
1.You find yourself always being the one helping others without the kindness being reciprocated. In a healthy relationship between people, it is not a one way street. Both parties should be stepping forward to help each other out. If you find that you are always the one carpooling, picking up lunch for the office, changing your plans to accommodate others, this is a red flag.
Make sure that your kind gestures are being appreciated and if they aren’t, it’s a sign that you need to back off and let them know that you have other things that you need to do. By doing this, you are also showing others that your time is valuable and they are more likely to respect you for that.
2. You find that you are always listening to them, but they don’t do the same for you. It’s nice that you are a good shoulder for them to cry on, but if they don’t care enough to let you vent about your day to them, they need to hit the road! Stop being a doormat. Stop making yourself always available for someone that doesn’t even ask you how your day was.
3. You are always paying for things. This goes for both romantic and platonic relationships. A guy should not always be expected to pay for everything in a relationship. A girl should at least offer! In any relationship, if you find that you are always paying for gas when you use your car to go places, always the one paying when you go out to dinner or the movies without appreciation being shown, you are being taken advantage of.
4. Your partner or roommate is not pulling their weight. Let’s say both of you work full time. If you find that you are always the one making meals, cleaning the house, doing the dishes, laundry and your partner is not pitching in to do their fair share, then you are being taken advantage of.
Conclusion
True friends will not take advantage of your good heart or your time. If your gut is telling you that you are being taken advantage of, you probably are. If you are in a relationship and they are showing any of these signs, you owe it to yourself and your relationship to let them know. If they continue to show any of these signs, it is best to sever ties.