Recently I've been exposed to four life choices that should be applicable in virtually any aspect of your life. I'll be honest and say that I cannot name the source and I've not made any attempts to determine where they came from or what the intention was when they were written. I'm only here to share my take. Your four options are to Stay and be Happy, Stay and be Miserable, Leave and be Happy or Leave and be Miserable. Sounds pretty self-explanatory and should be just as easy to execute. But it's not...
Let's look at a few examples, sometimes parenting can be downright miserable. I'm not the only one that thinks that way, but I'll say it. It's stressful, you worry, you wear yourself thin, you forget that you are a person with thoughts, feelings, and emotions outside of being a parent. Kids can be selfish with your time, your money, and your mental health. But parenting is not something most of us are willing to just walk away from so we choose to stay, but when you stay you must find happiness. You must find time for self-care, you must talk to your kids (if they are old enough) let them know how you feel sometimes, what you require of them, help them help you. Allow them to express themselves in a healthy manner (we can talk but I don't do disrespect) so you all can attempt to compromise when it's warranted.
Relationships and friendships can be handled the same. Some of us need to lower our expectations of others because everyone is not going to friend/love the same. Many of us are in one-sided relationships and friendships because your friend or mate requires more of you than they are able to offer themselves. This does not mean that you toss them away but you take them for who they are and set healthy boundaries to what you will and will not do or what you will or will not accept. Wait don't stop reading because MANY of you need to raise your expectations. You are accepting the bare minimum and wondering why you are miserable. At this point, you have inadvertently chosen to stay and be miserable because you are allowing broken people to treat you as if you are broken as well. If you stay you will continue falling apart.
Leaving and being happy isn't as easy as it sounds either. Initially, it could honestly feel like misery, it's human nature to miss and long for loved ones but that doesn't mean that the good outweighed the bad. I urge you in all situations to choose Happy you have to determine what happy looks like for you. Are you staying or leaving?