Why Do I Always Have to Be the Bigger Person?

A close-up of a wooden desk with a coffee cup and a letter that reads “Dear Miss Edna, HELP!” representing the struggle of being a scapegoat.

I’ve spent my life being the ‘responsible one,’ the problem solver, the one who holds everything together while others take advantage—and somehow, I’m the bad guy if I don’t smile through it. My sister, my coworker… different people, same story. Miss Edna, how do I stop being everyone’s scapegoat without setting the world on fire?

Why Is My Neighbor Mad at Me for Helping?

A well-dressed woman with a forced smile, holding a casserole, while her neighbor looks irritated.

Some folks don’t want help, especially the kind that comes uninvited and wrapped in a big ol’ bow of superiority. If your ‘kindness’ keeps pushing people away, it might be time to ask yourself—was it really kindness, or just control in disguise?

Self-awareness is free my darlings. Take some. I beg you!

Frustrated older woman with glasses rubbing her forehead in exasperation, embodying Miss Edna’s no-nonsense attitude about the lack of self-awareness in today’s world

Some folks have more audacity than sense—walking through life like a hurricane of bad decisions and blaming the weather. If you’ve ever wondered why people keep their distance, Miss Edna has news for you: it’s not them, it’s you. Self-awareness is free, my darlings—take some. I beg you.