I used to compromise everything, my previous friendship and my ex I pretty much either changed who I was completely or I did whatever he wanted to help him.

With my friend, I would always be spending money on him, buying him groceries, I'd bike an hour to go see him to bring him food at his work, I'd be woken up in the middle of the night by him calling me so he could talk while walking home. I didn't mind at all during the time we were friends, and some of these things were actually really fun, like biking to see him all the time meant we got to hang out a lot, and just in general because we were talking all the time we got close very fast.

But I know now that it if were anyone else, any other friend I wouldn't have done any of those things. I just gave so much to him, all my energy to try and be a good friend, so much money spent on buying him food or surprising him with gifts and things. It wasn't always one sided, in the beginning of our friendship he did a lot for me too, paid for a lot of my meals when he knew I wasn't making a lot of money. But overall, although that friendship was a wild experience and I got to do a lot of new things, meet a lot of new people and come out of my shell, in the end it was one of the most exhausting experiences I've ever had.

As for my ex, I pretty much kept every unpleasant thought or emotion bottled up and never told him anything, because he was the same with me. His family was perfect, and mine wasn't. I just felt like he was better than me so I tried so hard to be better so I could match him, but I never could. I held back a lot of my personality when I was with him.

After these two guys, I don't compromise anymore. I'll go out of my way to help my SO because I love him, but I don't hid my personality or my negative feelings and thoughts, and I don't put everything in my life aside whenever he calls or needs something. It's not worth the exhaustion or having to hide who you are just so you don't have to be alone for awhile.