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A Doormat

January 2022 - An article that explains in simple yet complex terms what feeling like a doormat is like- on an extremely personal level

Written by: Anonymous Writer

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Are you tired of being treated like a doormat? I can tell you that I am so over it. If you have never heard the term doormat, it is someone that lets others put them down or mistreat them. It doesn’t matter how nice you are to anyone; they will start taking advantage of you and not treating you with the respect you deserve. It takes a lot in you not to let it bother you, but it hurts so bad on the inside. The person that is the doormat usually doesn’t stand up for themselves. I can tell you that I don’t stand up for myself because I am a people pleaser and I hate confronting others. Getting treated like a doormat made me realize that I have terrible self-esteem. I am trying to work on it, but it doesn’t help that I have gotten treated like a doormat pretty much my whole life. People often wonder why I’m so eager to graduate, but I’m sure you would too if you were being treated this way. If you’re anything like me and let people walk all over you, let me remind you that you aren’t selfish for standing up for yourself and enjoying things in life that will benefit your life. Most people are quick to give the cliche, “Just wait it out- it will get better,” but these past couple of months haven’t looked any better. I have realized that I struggle with putting myself first because I put other people in front of my needs. I am harder to manipulate now than I have been in my whole life because I have had people trample me for as long as I can remember. If I hadn’t had my mom and a family friend talk to me about what was going on these past few weeks, how bad it has been, and how it has torn me apart. I don’t know where I would be dealing with it this week when last week was awful with being treated like a doormat. The week before and the week of January 17, 2022, it hit hard for me because of how I was being treated, so that is when the three of us talked because they could tell I was pretty torn. I am glad that they realized how bad it was to know that talking would probably help me get through this. If it wasn’t for them, who knows how long I would have let it go and not realize how bad it has gotten in the past week and how bad it could’ve gotten without the talking from them? For anyone else out there going through something like this, be a little easier on yourself, and take pride in the person you are. Just remember that there is a difference between selfishness and being manipulated. I am still a doormat for others, but it has improved since I talked with our family friend and my mom. If you are like me in this situation, go to someone you can trust and willing to help you get through this- it will help you if you talk to someone about being a doormat for others.