Theory: Small pots out of position

[Bullitos]

This is probably not a real 'Theory' post, but it is a question I am struggling with for some time now. I just don't know how to handle this.

I am an european player and the games here involve lots of limping. People limp utg/co/btn (5handed game) and they also play way too loose. So they also limp hands like q6o, j7o etc. As a consequence I am in lots of small (3/4bb) pots out of position.

First, like 3 months ago, I tried to win as many small pots as I could because I thought that would heigher my winrate easily. But after doing this for a while I felt like people were calling me too often and I would be in a somewhat bigger pot on the turn (with almost always some sort of scarecard) out of position, not knowing what to do. Sometimes I fired some 2nd barrels, but when these got called I was doomed to lose a mediumsized pot while trying to win a small pot. This could not be +EV, so I tightened up from the SB and cut my 'small pots steal' unless I had some sort of hand or the board was very uncoordinated.

I am at this moment still pretty tight from the SB. And when I'm in a small pot (either from the SB or BB) I barely pay attention to it unless I have some piece of it. I would really like to hear some comments on how some of you guys handle these small pots. Are you trying to win them as often as possible or just give up as soon as you don't hit the flop?

I am really bad at explaining my thoughts, so I hope I made myself at least a little bit clear.