10 Signs You Might Be the Lighthouse Friend (And Why You’re Tired)

1. People come to you in crisis — but rarely check in when things are calm.
   You’re the go-to for breakdowns, big decisions, and late-night emotional storms. But once the seas settle? Radio silence.

2. You give great advice, but no one asks how you’re doing.
   You’ve become the unpaid therapist, yet no one seems to notice when you start slipping.

3. You're “the strong one.”
   It’s a compliment… until it becomes a cage. Everyone assumes you’ve got it handled. So you feel like you have to hold it all together, even when you're unraveling.

4. You’re always checking in on others — but your phone doesn’t light up the same way.
   You remember birthdays, notice when someone’s energy changes, send thoughtful texts. But when you go quiet? No one seems to notice.

5. You’re emotionally intuitive — and it’s exhausting.
   You pick up on tension before anyone says a word. You sense unspoken feelings, absorb moods like a sponge, and carry it all home with you.

6. You’re often the planner, the peacemaker, the emotional glue.
   Without you, the group chat dies. The trip doesn’t happen. The fight doesn’t get resolved. You’re not just a friend — you’re the infrastructure.

7. You minimize your own needs because you don’t want to “burden” anyone.
   You tell yourself they’ve got enough on their plates. So you don’t ask for help. You smile through it. And your own pain goes unseen.

8. You feel guilty when you need space.
   Even when you're burned out, you feel like you should answer that message, show up, be there — because “what if they really need me?”

9. You sometimes resent how much people lean on you.
   But then you feel bad about that too. You want to be dependable — but not invisible.

10. You’re tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix.
    It’s emotional fatigue. Soul-tired. The kind of tired that comes from holding up so many people for so long.

🌊 Why You’re Tired:

Being a lighthouse means shining for others in the dark — but that light costs fuel. You can’t always be the calm in everyone’s storm without tending to your own. You’re tired because you’ve been anchoring others without anchoring yourself.

⚓️ A gentle reminder:

You’re allowed to dim the light sometimes. You’re allowed to need — and receive — care. Even lighthouses need maintenance.