How to share your burden with friends without depleting them
My close friends have the privilege of spending a lot of time making poor-quality conversations with me.
They’re the ones who keep us sane through our rollercoaster life journeys. Sharing our troubles makes them endurable. And this doesn’t have to be very serious. Even silly things count.
My close friends get to see the peak of my silliness and immaturity. I know they accept me for the cribbing, nagging, and snide remarks. They even manage to find some of it funny.
Yesterday I was overthinking, as I usually do, about the traits that put me off in some people. When they’re constantly complaining, criticizing and there’s always something terrible happening to them, it drains the life out of me. I started to wonder if I was doing the same with my friends? Did they not know how to draw boundaries with me? Were they struggling to communicate it? (If you’re reading this and you’re my close friend and if this is true, better tell me now)
At what point does sharing your worries become the draining complaints? Do I have to stop being silly and behave positively and mature all the time?
They always have our backs, but we’ve to keep in mind to be as giving as we can. My friends can entertain my annoying qualities because there’s more to me than just that. This reminder helped me refocus my energy towards nourishing these relationships.
Not just for them, it makes me happier when I make them happy. I want them to leave the conversation with good vibes and higher energy. Each of us has those few traits in us that our friends cherish. For me, it’s the abundance of absurd humour and being a good listener. Reflect on your quirks. It’s easy to take them for granted. Use this as a reminder to give generously to those who matter.