When the going gets real - how do you stay real?

Being sick has knocked me on my ass, and I have had to rely on on my coping skills. I have struggled to recover in many aspects of day to day life lately. Breathing has been difficult for weeks now, and Im sure that my nicotine addiction doesn't help with that. The fact that my day job is in a smoke shop, most definitely playa a roll, but is also not responsible for my addiction. So how am I able to hold it together? Be the person I am, kind and caring while also holding my boundaries, and respecting myself? I am an OG boundary setter and holder. I am happy to announce that this does not change when I am sick, sad, excited, mad etc. If it is outside of my standard hours of operation, I decide if I am able to take on extra in that moment. Some ways in which I might do this are "Hey (insert name here), I adore you but I am out and about and I do not have the mental capacity needed to dedicate the time, attention and effort my (person I am with) deserve...