Dear Annie: Have you ever felt exhausted from constantly striving to please those who seem impossible to satisfy — pouring your heart into giving, doing and sacrificing for the people you love, only to receive fleeting moments of gratitude before they retreat into indifference, offering little more than an obligatory call now and then?

Do you ever wonder why life seems to hand you the short end of the stick one time too many? What happens when the strength and resilience that have carried you through over the years no longer feel like assets but burdens — when even the need to be strong feels exhausting?

Is it possible to simply be tired — not in crisis, not sinking, but stalled, as if even life itself is waiting for something more?

That is how I have been feeling more and more, and I wonder if you have any advice. —Tired of Being Strong

Dear Tired of Being Strong: I hear you. And more importantly, I see you. Carrying the weight of others — being the dependable one, the strong one, the one who gives and gives — can be an exhausting road, especially when the appreciation is fleeting and the demands feel endless. It’s no wonder you’re tired. Strength is admirable, but when it’s expected rather than appreciated, it can start to feel like a heavy chain rather than a badge of honor.

Who is caring for you? Even the strongest need rest. If life feels stalled, maybe it’s a sign to shift gears, to start asking for what you need, not just what others expect. You deserve the same care and kindness you give so freely. It’s not selfish to want balance; it’s necessary.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].