they feel good, and then at the end of the day I look at myself and I realize I haven't taken care of anything I actually need. 😔

My faith teaches me about generosity and service, and I believe in those things deeply. But I'm starting to wonder if I've misunderstood what they mean. I think I thought it meant giving until there's nothing left. But that's not generosity—that's abandonment of yourself. Real care requires that I also care for myself. That I have boundaries. That I say no sometimes. 💚

The hardest part is that when I set a boundary, I feel guilty. Like I'm being selfish. Like I'm failing at the whole thing. But I'm learning—slowly—that I can be caring and gentle and still have limits. I can love people and still protect myself. These things aren't contradictions. They're actually the only way any of it works long-term. 💭

What if the kindest thing I can do for the people I love is to take care of myself so I have something real to give them, instead of giving from a place of emptiness? That's radical for me to even think about. But I think it's true. 🌸