Boundaries

Around a philosophy of saying yes, my career I had built

When people asked for more, I would give, because the guilt

Of knowing someone could suffer if I said no

Would keep me up at night- thus my responsibilities continued to grow

When people expressed gratitude, I felt gratified

That to go above and beyond I had tried

It would have been acceptable to say no in some situations

But that would have caused delays and consternations

I did not know at the time but by doing this I was trying

To build my fragile self-worth, while to myself I was lying

That I was doing it to help others in need

In truth, my insecurities I was trying to feed

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My boundaries were never set, over time this I realized

Knowing what I do now, it should not have been a surprise

That encroachment on my time gradually increased

The demands to accommodate others never seemed to cease

Until I was running on empty, wearing myself out

Saying yes to everything was something I could do without

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Trying to set boundaries has been a battle uphill

There is anger and outrage from others, guilty I feel still

But standing my ground is what I need to do

Uncouple my self-worth from my work too