Some people grow up hearing that everyone can count on them. They become the one who remembers the appointments, checks on the family, answers the late call, and notices what nobody else notices.
Being dependable can be a good thing. But when you are needed so often that you rarely get to choose, being useful can start to feel like the only reason you matter.
You may feel proud when someone says they could not do it without you. You may also feel tired, angry, or strangely empty when nobody needs anything. Both feelings can exist at once.
This does not mean you were wrong to care. It means caring may have taken up so much room that your own wants had little space to grow.
Try asking yourself a smaller question than Who am I? Ask: What do I enjoy when there is nothing to fix? What do I need today? Who checks on me without needing a favor?
You do not have to stop loving people to have a life that belongs to you. Being needed is something you do. It does not have to be your whole identity.