For a very long time in my life, I was a people pleaser. I consistently put the feelings and needs of others before my own, and though I find that to be a very important trait, there comes a point where it can become detrimental to a person's own needs. For years, I was unable to find a balance between taking care of myself and taking care of others.

Throughout this past year, I have actively been working on trying to implement boundaries into my friendships and relationships. I would continuously struggle to decline an invitation to something that I do not want to go to because I was afraid of upsetting people around me. There were many moments where the word "no" simply did not seem like an option for me. Once I started to re-evaluate my own feelings and needs, I came to realize that it is more than acceptable to put yourself first in certain situations. This is not to sound selfish, but rather to encourage engaging in self-care. When I was constantly drained after doing things I did not want to be doing with people that I did not want to be spending time with, I was never the best version of myself. It was after these instances in which I realized that I was not being a people pleaser at all. In fact, I was doing quite the opposite. By pouring my energy into people and things that did not fulfill me or bring me joy, I was not being an optimal version of myself. If I could not be that, how could I give the best version of myself to anyone else?

By setting boundaries with myself and others, I have come to find much happiness and fulfillment in my life. Now, I try my hardest to surround myself with people that bring out the best in me. If I am not feeling up to something, I decline an invitation and take a self-care day for myself at home. I value and respect positive energy in my own mind and body, and I can now see myself gravitating toward people with the same positivity. Setting boundaries can be a very difficult challenge to overcome, but once you do, it can very easily improve your relationships with others and yourself.