This is a good week to recall some fundamentals of healthy relationships:

• Taking care of yourself first is not selfish. You can take care of no one if you yourself are in poor shape. 
• Telling people who you are and what you want is not selfish. It is selfish to place that load onto others if they have to guess who you are and what you want. 
• The person who wants something (anything) the most from another person places that person in the power-seat of the relationship. So, be careful of your own neediness, it may surround you with people who are pitying you rather than relating to you as an equal.
• If a relationship is not equal (“we are both important”) and mutual (“we both make necessary decisions”) and respectful (“we honor each other”) it is time to consider if it is worth your efforts.  These are very hard values to restore if they have been lost or violated. 
• If you have a negative outlook on the world around you do not be surprised if it appears others are avoiding you. Dig deep and uncover what is shaping your outlook and deal with it as best as you are able. The slightest movement toward improving your outlook will reap rich and immediate rewards.