The Strain of People-Pleasing: Losing Yourself to Gain Approval

[Shree]

People-pleasing involves sacrificing your needs to meet others’ expectations, often out of fear of rejection or disapproval. While it may bring short-term approval, it leads to long-term emotional strain and resentment. Learning to set boundaries and prioritize self-care is key to breaking the habit. Have you ever struggled with people-pleasing tendencies?

 

[Fidelia]

In my life, the only thing that I owe people is not to hurt them. But to lose myself to conform to their expectations, I can never. I would try as much as I can not to cause people pain. Beyond that, you can say whatever you want about me but I would never patronize you to lose myself for you.

 

[Teri W]

The thing is that if you keep losing yourself to please people, you would get to a point that you would just stop existing. That's because the more you lose yourself to impress people, the less they are impressed and you want to lose yourself more.