There was a time when I wanted so badly to be liked and accepted that I put myself on the line, barely scraped by, bent over backwards, and jumped before I even asked how high. Over the years, I began to see just how unbalanced many of my relationships had become. I take responsibility for that imbalance. I made a nice, comfortable bed for people who were not bothered by my discomfort. I was so desperate for acceptance, so eager to be liked, that it clouded my awareness of something essential: It was my responsibility to accept and like myself. It was my responsibility to make sure I was comfortable. It was my responsibility to recognize my worth and to stop the non-serving behaviours my insecurities had created. It was my responsibility to put boundaries in place, and to hold myself accountable for honouring them. I came to understand that healthy, mature relationships require mutual comfort and that it's okay if you're not compatible with everyone. I learned that I would rather be at peace with losing incompatible relationships than lose myself to imbalance ever again.