Enough Favors.....

One thing I was always told as a youth was to always "look out for your star player." For anyone that is at all new to the phrase, this is a saying used to tell people to always act with yourself in mind. Even the most selfless of people occasionally have to do things that are more positive for themselves opposed to always trying to better the issues of others. My question is how many of us actually do this? I mean sure! One could live their entire life for others. But I can guarantee that in 50% (or more) of the acts in which they are participating in, they are in turn leaving themselves out to dry in the process. This is where kindness gets confused with weakness. The "giving" party has put their self in a situation to potentially be used over and over again. At this point the only thing saving them from being taken advantage of is if (and ONLY IF), the "friend" given this power doesn't abuse it. But that's not even the wild part. If it ever does gets this extreme, the user may be so accustomed to one playing the yes man, that they may not even realize that they are abusing you and the friendship shared.

Now when it comes to me, I feel like I've always looked out for myself. I may be lenient at times, but for the most part I don't have a problem saying NO. But if you paid close attention to my last sentence, you realized I said for the MOST part. Recently, within the last year or so I would say that I've been more likely to break my back at times for others. In some cases I have offered to do things and in others I've been asked. In just about all of these cases though, the people I acted for were all companions (some way closer than others) of mine. During this year of kindness I've came up with a result. People will use you only as much as you let them. Whether it's lending money, giving someone a ride or even helping people with their own situations. It's funny to see how one day you can do something for a person, and the next day when it's you that needs the help they can quickly get ghost. I can honestly say that I feel like some of the things I have done for people as of late that I would once call friend, or even bro, has gone unnoticed. Now, I'm not asking for anyone to give me money or send me hallmark cards about how much they appreciate me. Anyone that truly knows me can tell you that I'm not the type to hold things over another's head. Especially when I was the one who agreed to do it for them. Buh, buh BUT when you put your own security/money/advantages (even licenses in some scenarios lolol) on the line for others that you once trusted, it can really hit you once you realize they only seen you as the simp that could be leached off of. With that said there is truly no one to blame but the person being used. If you don't allow it, IT CAN'T HAPPEN. In the end it may even open your eyes to who you can really call friends.

After this blog I can honestly say that I'm not the same person I came into it as. A lot of the stuff I went on about has opened me up to the truth opposed to various misconceptions of friendship (which I hope is taken with others also). This in itself has changed up my mindset a bit, so I guess it can be taken as a warning. Just because some people are there with you physically, doesn't mean you all are on the same page mentally. What one sees as a cry for help, another sees as a sign of weakness. If you're reading this I just ask that you PLEASE do me this one favor....

Make sure that you ALWAYS look after your star player!!!