They initially thought I was becoming selfish, but I saw it differently.

Yes. Their reaction told me a lot about the situation

I eventually stopped overextending myself and became more honest about what I could actually do.

It definitely made me feel unappreciated and, honestly, a little resentful.

I think I also expected them to notice the little things I was doing.

I started asking myself whether I was doing it willingly or just trying to avoid disappointing them.

Exactly. I eventually realized I was exhausting myself trying to prove my intentions

At first, I kept trying harder because I thought maybe I wasn't doing enough.

Yes. It's frustrating when you keep putting in effort and the other person still acts like you're doing nothing.

You know the is very important cos smtm ppl assume protecting urself means uno longer care but it can simply mean youve realized ur wellbeing matters too. U can love someone forgive them still decide they

Exactly. Protecting yourself doesn't mean you stopped loving them.

I still care, but I no longer put my safety or peace in their hands

Distance helped more than constant confrontation did.

I eventually stopped trying to convince them to understand me.

It also taught me not to ignore red flags simply because someone is family or close to me.

The hardest part was accepting that I had to protect myself from people I never expected to fear.

Exactly. Caring about someone doesn't mean giving them unlimited access to you.

I became more careful about what I shared and who I depended on.

For me, it started with noticing that I couldn't trust their intentions anymore.

Yes, because if every generation remains guilty for the actions of those before them, there would be no real point where anyone gets a clean slate.