Martyrs

Martyr: One who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause, or principle.
A friend told me last week that he didn't feel bad for a co-worker doing double duty at work because he didn't feel sorry for martyrs. I was surprised at the comment, but when he went on to explain that this person had been given the opportunity to offload some work and he refused, I understood. It was his choice to make, and that offer is only going to be made so many times. Sure, when people are put into uncomfortable or difficult situations it's only natural to feel for them, but when they don't do what they can to help themselves, that is their decision and they have to deal with it. I definitely notice that there's a pattern with this - whether people like the attention or feel bad offloading work, it's a common theme in most workplaces and often in personal life as well.
On the flip side, think about a time you complained about a heavy workload, taking in a guest, or running an errand that you offered to do. I know I've been in that situation more times than I like to admit, and my friends and family are probably sick of listening to my complaints!