Years ago, a partner asked me a one-sentence question, and I answered with six reasons. Resentment is the signal we notice. The over-explaining, the dread, and the quietly absorbed costs arrive long before it.
Tag: boundaries
Other People’s Boxes
There were boxes in my spare room that did not belong to me. For months, I made room without ever deciding to. A reflection on overfunctioning, on the quiet habit of carrying what belongs to others, and on what we set down in our own lives at the same time.
Have You Ever Said Yes When You Meant No?
The quiet patterns that decide before we do A message came in on a Tuesday afternoon, and before I had finished reading it I had already begun typing my reply. Yes. Of course. Happy to. The request was reasonable — a favour, a little extra work, nothing out of the ordinary. What caught me was… Continue reading Have You Ever Said Yes When You Meant No?
The Moment Before the Anger: Where the Boundary Was Needed All Along
We notice the anger because it's loud. The decisions that preceded it were almost silent. A reflection on capacity, the quiet yeses, and the boundary that was needed several decisions before the reaction ever arrived.
The Cost of Being liked
The need for approval doesn't stay at work. It shows up in parenting, relationships, and friendships too. Same pattern, different rooms — and a quiet cost that builds over time.
