Bare Minimum

I genuinely don’t understand when the bare minimum became something people expected praise for.

You answered my text? Cool.

You were loyal? I would hope so.

You kept your word? That’s literally what you said you were going to do.

None of those things are a flex. They’re the foundation.

What really blows my mind is how quickly people will make you feel like you’re asking for too much simply because you expect the basics.

You want communication? You’re “too much.”

You want consistency? Your standards are “too high.”

You want respect? Somehow you’re the difficult one.

When did basic human decency become such a big ask?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because I used to question myself. I’d wonder if maybe I really was expecting too much. Maybe I should just be happy they were trying.

But here’s what I’ve realized: the right people don’t make you feel guilty for having normal expectations.No one who genuinely cares about you is going to make you feel like respect is a luxury.

They’re not going to act like spending time with you is some grand sacrifice.

They’re not going to make you beg for communication, honesty, or consistency.

Those things shouldn’t have to be earned. They should already be there.

I think that’s why so many of us stay longer than we should. We become so grateful for tiny moments of effort that we completely overlook the bigger picture. We celebrate the one nice thing they did while ignoring the hundred things they didn’t.

I’ve been there.

I’ve made excuses for people because I loved them.

I’ve accepted breadcrumbs because I convinced myself they were enough.

Looking back, I wasn’t asking for too much. I was asking the wrong people.

And maybe that’s the lesson.

If someone constantly makes you feel like your needs are impossible to meet, maybe they’re just incapable/ unwilling to meet them.

Stop shrinking yourself to make someone else comfortable.

Stop lowering your standards just because someone keeps telling you they’re unrealistic.

The people who are meant for you won’t hear your needs and think, “She’s asking for too much.”

They’ll hear them and think, “How can I love her better?”

Because the bare minimum has never been impressive.

It’s the bare minimum.

And if someone makes you feel like expecting more than that is asking for the world, they’re probably not someone worth building a future with.

Till next time HOTTIES (mwah)