If you feel like you’ve lost yourself as a result of taking care of others, you may have to make some hard choices around people in your life.
By giving time and energy to yourself as well as to others, you won’t feel as driven to use food as a solution to your own needs.
To get out of the “people hook,” you have to push the circles further apart, forcing others to manage their lives without your constant help.
You also have to stop letting other people’s problems devastate you. When your friends or family members call with another dilemma, determine where you can contribute and where you need to back off.
Encourage people around you to take responsibility for themselves. You can still care about people you love. Just don’t let yourself disappear in the process.
Pushing the “people hook” circles apart allows your real self to emerge from behind other people’s needs. Learn to say “no” once in a while instead of always trying to keep everybody happy.
Remember this important guideline:
It’s not your job to FIX them.
It’s your job LOVE them.