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Belongs to: Do you feel like a burden?
How do you get rid of that feeling?
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Oh man, that feeling of being a burden… I know how heavy that can get. It’s like this constant shadow that sneaks in, even when people say they care or show up for you. The feeling can make it seem like everything you’re dealing with somehow weighs on everyone around you, even if logically, you know they want to be there for you. It’s exhausting because it feels like you’re walking around with this invisible load, always wondering if it’s too much for others, even though you’d never feel that way if the roles were reversed. The hardest part is that this feeling gets even stronger the harder things are, while it’s when you need support the most. It’s like some kind of cruel trick your mind plays, piling on doubt and guilt exactly when you’re reaching out for help or just trying to get through.
One of the hardest but helpful shifts is recognizing that feeling like a burden doesn’t mean you are one. It’s something your mind is layering onto your reality, almost like an extra shadow over everything you do. Some people find it useful to think of this feeling as just one part of their mind speaking but not the whole truth. Maybe it’s a part that’s reacting to past experiences, maybe to the weight of everything you’re carrying. While it may not disappear overnight, sometimes small moments of self-compassion helps. Allowing yourself to be human, reminding yourself that everyone has struggles and times when they lean on others - that’s it’s part of being alive and being human together. Over time, it might help you see that your value isn’t about what you “contribute” or how “low-maintenance” you are. It’s just you, as you are.
For me, it took time to recognize that this feeling doesn’t really mean it’s true. It took learning to trust people with myself too. Not just anyone, but at least people who gained my trust and made me feel safe being myself with them over time. I have days where it creeps in again. But what helps is building up little reminders that, hey, just being here,struggling, figuring it out, having rough days, doesn’t make me a burden. It makes me human, like anyone else. We all go through it. Sometimes, it takes hearing from others (and letting yourself believe it) that being cared for isn’t a weight on anyone; sometimes it takes trusting yourself with that truth. It’s part of being human, of loving and being loved. 
-Marie-Anne