Protect your esteem and your value. They matter more than your need to be seen as a nice person by general others, more than your need to to try and prove to everyone you’re a caring person and more than your need to find a romantic partner. You are a nice person, you are caring and you’re absolutely a catch! Your standards for yourself are about you and no one else.

You are a valuable person who deserves respect and consideration. Your self-worth can take a hit if a relationship breaks down or someone at work treats you badly or you get ghosted on dating apps. Don’t keep pushing for understanding or closure from the other person if they won’t give it to you. Answers and understanding would be nice but it’s not necessary to heal and not worth allowing the lack of it to chip away at you. Create limits and hold boundaries. You won’t make them understand their poor behaviour.

Know your esteem and self-worth. You are a good person who is worth being treated well by others. It’s not ok for someone to speak insultingly to you or to demean you. It is not ok for someone to bully you or treat you poorly. Their lack of maturity and emotional intelligence is a ‘them’ issue. If they are don’t have self-awareness or the ability to self-reflect or empathise, they are unable to step up and show you the respect and consideration you deserve.

You have nothing to prove to anyone else about your esteem. Walk away and spend time with those who do value you and know your worth. There is no shame in connecting and it not working out; you’re not going to get on with everyone and not everyone is worth having in your life. When your time is done, it’s done and move on. You are worth being respected, loved and cared about. That begins with you.