I’ve read somewhere that the biggest mistake you can do to yourself is to let yourself be taken for granted. Very true. I know it because I’ve made that mistake, a couple of times. It has been so especially with some of my friends and some so-called friends from long ago. The reason must have been that I had always been the least popular person in all the groups I was a part of at that time. There definitely was an inferiority complex I was suffering from as a result too. I used to get the least positive attention whenever I was with my group of friends. I used to be the butt of the joke most of the times as well. I was the clumsy one. Opportunities used to go to others, while it never came to me, rather I never dared to grab hold of them and others took it for granted that I wasn’t good enough. My opinions were either rubbished or laughed at and considered stupid. Whenever I tried to hint that I was not happy about something, they got irritated.

Why did I hold on then to those friends and not raise my voice? Because I was scared. That if I said I didn’t like something my friends would leave me. This fear had been the glue of a number of friendships I had. In a number of cases, I am pretty sure our friendship might not have sustained if I hadn’t put in extra one-sided efforts.

It took me years to get over that inferiority complex and tell myself I am good. The moment I started believing in myself, I got over the fear of what if they leave me. The moment I started believing in myself, I started getting noticed for the right reasons. I started convincing myself that I shouldn’t bother too much about those who want to leave, and care more for those who want to stay. I started getting the courage to raise my voice and put my foot down when it came to things that mattered to me. Some of the friends didn’t take it too well and left, while some got a little shock probably, but stayed back. Whichever ways, I ended up happy that I was not being taken for granted anymore. That was all that mattered.