Givers and Takers: Finding Balance in Relationships

There are two kinds of people I’ve experienced over and over again: givers and takers.
 
Givers show up. They listen. They offer time, energy, and support without asking for much back. It’s just who they are. But the more you give without receiving, the more you start to feel it in your body, in your heart, and in your spirit.
 
I’ve been that giver.
 
I’ve done the check-ins. Taken the late-night calls when someone was in crisis. I’ve shown up fully, holding space, giving what I had even when I had little, running on fumes, until I started seeing how things were becoming one-sided.
 
Some people only check in when they need something. They’re not trying to connect. They’re looking for access. And once they’ve gotten what they wanted, they disappear. That kind of one-sided dynamic will wear you down.
 
I’ve also been the taker. There were times I couldn’t show up for others the way I wanted to. I was in my own storm, too caught up in survival mode to be present. I’ve learned from that too.
 
I’ve lived both. And what I care about now is balance.
 
Giving doesn’t mean overextending.
Receiving doesn’t mean taking advantage.
There has to be a flow, a rhythm that honors both people.
 
I still give. I still show up. But now I pause and ask: Is this a mutual exchange, or am I emptying myself for someone who won’t meet me halfway?
 
That awareness is powerful. It doesn’t just protect my energy. It keeps it from leaking in the first place.
 
So here’s to the ones learning to pour into themselves first.
To the givers setting boundaries.
To the takers waking up.
And to the rest of us doing our best to meet in the middle.
 
That’s where I live now.
That’s balance.