Many people are living more and more exhausting lives—essentially because they are too easy for others to obtain at low cost. A few sweet words, a small emotional need, an empty promise: they can easily take away your time, energy, and value. Truly mature people know how to set thresholds in relationships—not coldness, but an understanding that your energy is limited. Your kindness should have boundaries, and your giving should come with a value-for-value exchange. Whether it’s in love, friendship, or the workplace, the people who truly care about you will be willing to invest time, respect, resources, and actions—not endlessly take. Don’t keep getting freeloaded just because you’re afraid of rejection, afraid of losing, or too embarrassed to say no. The easier you are to be had, the less you will be cherished. Learn to price your own time, set limits on your emotions, and create scarcity around your value. It’s not arrogance—it’s clear-headedness. When a person really starts to turn lucky, it often begins with stopping being held by others at low cost.