Melody Beattie Quotes

I can let people take advantage of me at times.

You learn, right, a lot of people's problems - why they get upset, why they get down, why they turn to drink - is because they can't say one word and it's N-O, no.

I'm not going to be everything to everyone.

My best male friend is my best friend until he crosses me. We're all protective of the self.

I never refused an autograph, never refused to buy someone a drink. Now I'm learning to say I've got other things on, instead of doing it and wondering why.

I trust people too much, and the other tragedy is I can't say no.

Healthy shame is an emotion that teaches us about our limits. Like all emotions, shame moves us to get our basic needs met.

Every human being must have boundaries in order to have successful relationships or a successful performance in life.

If I took everything as personally as I possibly could, I wouldn't survive.

I have learnt my boundaries and what I need to do to preserve my energy and not give out too much of myself every night.

Sometimes we are so busy helping others that we forget about ourselves. Remember, it's okay to say no and to ask others to carry their own weight.

You need to learn to say no and need to recognise when you're being exploited.

I got to start limiting the hits I take on myself.

I have a very easy time saying no to friends.

Sometimes you have to say, 'I don't have to do everything that comes my way.'

There is just something that people taught me in general for self-care, would just be to spend some time alone and to protect yourself. Learning to say no is something that helps in that, and what you're comfortable with and what you're not comfortable with, and finding the line. That's it. Otherwise it's just going to be really hard.

Taking on responsibilities that properly belong to someone else means behaving irresponsibly toward yourself. You need to know where you end and someone else begins. You need to understand boundaries. You need to know what is and is not up to you, what is and is not in your control, what is and is not your responsibility.

Even though there will be times when I'll need to protect myself - there will definitely be times when I'll have to put up my guard just to monitor what comes in and out of my life - there's a grace there... no pun intended!

The best thing I ever did in my life was to ask, 'Do I like everybody?' And the answer was, 'No.' So why should everybody like me? If people are against me, so what? I'm against them too.

I'm not as angry as I used to be. But I can get in touch with that anger pretty quickly if I feel my space is being invaded or somebody is not treating me with the respect that I think I want.

I tend to take things personally. But I can only take so much, and then I jump back. I have strong survival skills.

I know how to look after myself.

I don't worry about people misinterpreting my kindness for weakness.

Anger, and the self-righteousness that is both the cause and consequence of anger, tends to be easier on the psyche than personal responsibility.

For me, when I go to bed at night, I am happy that I haven't hurt someone. And if I think I have, I will rectify it. I now refuse to give someone permission to make me feel bad about myself. They can't make me feel bad about myself if I don't allow it.