16.
“Not bothering or going to a neighbor’s house just because you know they’re home. I live with a lot of elderly people in my building. They can see my car, and hear me watching tv, so they know when I’m home. I help them as often as I can and offer to listen when they feel they need to chat with someone. A lot of them are single with no children, so I get they need to talk to someone sometimes. But there are times that I just don’t have the capacity to be social or want to help. I have to turn my phone on silent because they’ll call me if I don’t answer their knocks.”
“Then they can hear my phone ringing so I have to answer the door. I tell them I was napping, or I’m busy, but they keep chattering away (gossiping usually), or ask me to do something ‘really quick.’ I want to help, but only when I’m available. This can also be applicable to friends and family. Just because someone is home or physically available, doesn’t mean they are mentally available. And normalizing not feeling guilty for saying ‘No, I’m not available.'”
—rockiestarr
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/fabianabuontempo/uncommon-things-that-should-be-normalized