Survival Mode Taught Me to Overextend

Survival taught me that being needed meant being safe. So, I overextended. I gave before I was asked. I poured until I was empty. At one point, it felt noble. Loving. Strong.

But overextending was never about generosity, it was about fear. Fear of being disposable. Fear of being forgotten.

The shift now is understanding that boundaries are not rejection. They are self-respect.

My practice is asking myself one question before I say yes:

DO I HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR THIS WITHOUT BETRAYING MYSELF?

If the answer is no, I honor that.