Be the friend people plug into when their battery’s low, not the one who drains it.

Some people leave you with more than you had and some leave you slightly emptier, and most of us are both depending on the month. This is not about who has problems, because everyone does. It is about whether every conversation ends up pointing back at you, and whether people brace a little before picking up.

In your next three conversations, ask one more question than you answer. If you are the one running low right now, say so directly to one person instead of spreading it thin across everybody.