Is your need to please getting in the way of your happiness? Is it consuming your energy and leaving you depleted?

Its a wonderful thing to be accommodating, generous, and want to make other people happy. But sometimes the need to please and approval seeking behaviors get in the way of your own wellbeing.

Theres a price to be paid for being too nice. You spend so much time taking care of others that you run yourself ragged, neglect your own wants and needs, and lose your sense of self. Fear of rejection forces you to meet everyone elses expectations. But what about you? What are you missing out on when youre stuck being Mr. Nice Guy.

Some of the most successful people know that in order to lead a creative, authentic, and happy life, you have to ditch your people-pleasing ways and be yourself no matter what others think.

I cant tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. Ed Sheeran

You wouldnt worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do. Eleanor Roosevelt

“When you say yes to others, make sure you arent saying no to yourself. Paulo Coehlo

Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner. Lao Tzu

If you try to please all, you please none. Aesop

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. Aristotle

If you’re trying to please everyone, then you’re not going to make anything that is honestly yours, I don’t think, in the long run. Viggo Mortensen

If you are busy pleasing everyone, you are not being true to yourself Jocelyn Murray

Because one believes in oneself, one doesnt try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesnt need others approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her. Lao Tzu

If you live for peoples acceptance, you will die from their rejection. Lecrae

When you stop living your life based on what others think of you real life begins. At that moment, you will finally see the door of self-acceptance opened. Shannon L. Alder

Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world. Dont let anything stand in the way of the light that shines through this form. Risk being seen in all of your glory. Jim Carrey

The only thing wrong with trying to please everyone is that theres always at least one person who will remain unhappy. You. Elizabeth Parker

Ahealthyrelationshipwillneverrequireyoutosacrificeyourfriends,yourdreams,oryourdignity. Dinkar Kalotra

I hope youre inspired to try to be more YOU and worry less about what others think.

I wish you well on your journey towards self-acceptance,

Sharon

*****

2017 Sharon Martin, LCSW. All rights reserved. Photo courtesy of Unsplash.