The Guilt of the Breadwinner

When you are the sole breadwinner of the family, guilt becomes a constant companion. The guilt of choosing your own happiness over your family's. Of buying something for yourself before buying for them. Of watching them suffer and not being able to fix it. Of perpetually diminishing your problems in the face of theirs. This is one of the quieter, more corrosive sources of suffering for such people. You are not responsible for everyone's happiness. The compulsion to keep everyone comfortable almost always puts you in discomfort, and offers no guarantee that they will actually be happy. Some people are devoted to their misery. Some people are wired to constantly compare. Some people simply refuse accountability. The person who feels guilt is often made to feel guilty. They become the vessel into which others pour their sorrows, the designated culprit for all that goes wrong. Because you have consistently solved their problems, they assume that when you don't, you are shirking your…