How to Stop Being Taken for Granted?

Do you often find yourself being the one that other people take for granted? Are you the one always giving your all to your loved ones but never receiving the love and appreciation in return? Turns out, you’re not the only one.

When people take you for granted, it means that others expect more from you without any basis. For an instance, if you’re being kind to an acquaintance and let them invade your privacy (for whatever reason), they may take it for granted and continue to ignore your boundaries. In simple words, being taken for granted means extending a simple favor into expectations that you can’t say no to.

Being taken for granted in a relationship can also be a huge issue. You do things for your partner because you feel like you should do or want to do but later your partner may begin to expect you to do all those things.

When people take you for granted, it can also take a heavy toll on your self-respect. Here, let’s take a look at what being taken for granted means, the signs to look out for, and what to do when someone takes you for granted.

People Take You For Granted? Here’s What It Means

When people take you for granted it means that they don’t really care or appreciate what you do for them. They know that you’re there for them but don’t care about you or your presence.

All in all, it comes down to self-respect. When you don’t have healthy self-respect, enough to believe that you’ve done ample, then you constantly try to do more to compensate for what you believe you might be lacking.

This kind of behavior pushes you to become a people pleaser in hopes of being appreciated and loved. However, when you don’t receive the appreciation and respect from your loved ones, it is when you are being taken for granted.

When you respect yourself for who you are, you don’t need others’ appreciation to know that you’re an amazing person.

The Signs That People Take You For Granted

Here are some signs to help you know when people take you for granted:

• You have a hard time saying “no” to people
• Your behavior is predictable to people around you
• You are a people pleaserand come off as too sweet
• You postpone making decisions instead of dealing with them right away
• You avoid confrontation. Confrontations make you unhappy
• You lie and console yourself when others take you for granted
• You self-doubt your abilities and need external reassurance
• You have lost your sense of selfand don’t know what you desire
• You have low expectations from others
• You have too much respect for others (more than what you have for yourself)
• You want to impress others and crave others’ appreciation more than self-satisfaction

Smart Ways to Stop Being Taken for Granted:

1. Say No! Ok?

One of the basic personality traits of people who are taken for granted is that they are unable to say no to others. If this sounds like you, it means that you are simply afraid that you may sound rude or arrogant if you say no. If you want to stop being taken for granted, you will have to put this fear aside and put your foot down to say no should the need arise.

2. Don’t Be Nice All the Time

Being nice to others should be the way we all behave. Unfortunately, it is often the case that people who are too nice or go overboard in being nice to others can be taken for granted. If you think that that folks are taking advantage of your niceness, it’s time you hung up your nice boots and placed on a firm attitude. Be nice, but use your discretion and arrange whenever required.

Also Read: How To Stop Being A Doormat Personality | Think And Work On It

3. Face The People That Take You For Granted

Another way to stop being taken for granted by friends or coworkers is to have a one-on-one chat with the people whom you think are indulging in this nasty practice. Tell them clearly that you simply don’t appreciate that your work and efforts within the office go unappreciated.

4. Don’t Show Up: Let Your Absence Represent Itself

Whether it’s work or your relationship together with your partner and friends, you and your services play an integral part in things that make business or a relationship tick. If you think that you simply are being taken for granted in a relationship or with friends and family, don’t show up. Not literally, but the purpose is to form others to realize how important you’re in their lives or processes.

5. Stop Constantly Putting Yourself In Other’s Shoes

Putting yourself within the shoes of others and having the wisdom to believe how your actions are getting to affect others may be a rare and much-appreciated talent. But are you overdoing it? Are you unwittingly let others take you for granted?

Many of us often have the habit of asking ourselves “How will they feel if I do this?” If you’re one among them, you’ll want to chop this down because your friends or colleagues may take this very habit of yours of being taken for granted.

6. Make Good Decisions That You Simply Will Stand By!

The problem with making bad decisions is that you simply need to accept that you made a nasty call if someone catches you off guard. Making good decisions, on the opposite hand, gives you the arrogance to undertake what you are feeling is true and lessens the probabilities of individuals around you trying to influence you otherwise.

Developing a habit of forming good decisions will stop people from taking you for granted because they’re going to have seen your ability to form the proper out at the proper time.

Also Read: 7 Strongest Ways On How To Be More Decisive In Life 

7. Introspect

In your battle to prevent being taken for granted by family or friends, you ought to attempt to search for answers to the question, “Why am I being taken for granted?” There could likewise be particular trademark qualities, situational components, or simply the nearness of not pleasant individuals around you.

Give this whole scenario a fast introspection and if necessary, pen down your thoughts. Find out how to affect the items that have given this example an opportunity to arise and advance.

8. Put Boundaries and Start Putting Yourself First

The first thing to stop being taken for granted is to set clear boundaries. Let other people know that you won’t tolerate specific behaviors. Be polite, and respectful, but don’t let others walk all over you. When people take you for granted, you come to identify as a people pleaser. Stop putting others first and look at yourself first. Stop doing things that make others feel happy and do things that make you happy. Focusing on yourself first can help stop being taken for granted.

9. Don’t Allow Others To Control You

When people take you for granted, it means you give them the power to control you the way they want. Here, you need to stay strong and don’t allow others to control you. Keep your boundaries intact and stop being a pushover. Whatever makes you unhappy, voice it. Communicate your feelings and let others know that what they are doing is bothering you. Open communication can prevent a lot of misunderstandings and confusion.

10. Gain Some Self-Confidence

We’ve established that the cause of being taken for granted is not having enough self-respect. Self-respect comes from being self-confident so avoid doubting yourself and start believing in your capabilities. Let others know that they can’t just take you for granted anymore.

11. Appreciate Good Behavior

What goes around comes around, right? Then if you demand respect, you should give respect as well. When someone does something kind for you, appreciate it. No matter what happens, don’t let negativity ruin your life. You need to stop others from taking advantage of your kind nature. Give the benefit of the doubt and look for the silver lining in all situations. That’s how you will stop others from taking you for granted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How do I stop being taken for granted in a relationship?

To stop being taken for granted in a relationship, you need to first keep in mind that you are a different individual and have different interests that you have the right to pursue. Even then, if you have a plan with your partner, don’t break them. All the while, make sure you take time apart from your relationship and spend time with your friends and with yourself. You need to understand your self-worth before you can stop your partner from taking you for granted in a relationship.

Q2: Why do I always get taken for granted?

If you are being taken for granted, it can be because where you once felt appreciated by someone, now they are not being as appreciative as they used to be. When you feel that you deserve to be appreciated but are not then you’re being taken for granted.

Q3: What are the signs of being taken for granted?

Some common signs that you’re being taken for granted are:

• You never receive a thank you from others
• Others make huge demands from you
• Others make plans without involving your output
• Others don’t make the effort to know you
• They refuse to make a compromise
• You feel guilty and insecure with them
• They take a lot of time to respond to your texts

What Are Your Views?

Your happiness depends on you and not others, never forget this. You never have to depend on someone else for your happiness, self-respect, and self-worth. You create all of it on your own. Trust me, it’s not too late to make changes to your behavior. If you identify yourself with the above-mentioned signs of people taking you for granted, then you need to stand up and speak for yourself.

You deserve a lot more than people may give you so when people take you for granted, I hope the above ways to stop can help. You need to be appreciated for what you give and for your efforts. You don’t need to please others and give more than what you can.

I hope this blog helped you know what to do when someone takes you for granted. For more, you can write to me at info@calmsage.com or DM us on social media. Do let us know what you think of this article in the comments below.

Take Care!

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