No More People Pleasing

No More People Pleasing

By: Talya Langer

“I’m sorry,” I say.

I think that’s become my catchphrase.

If I had a nickel for every time I said those two words, I’d have enough money to buy a nice house with a pool and an acre-long yard.

It’s hard.

Living in a world where you’re always wrong, so everyone else is always right,

It’s tough, dimming yourself so everyone around you is the brighter light.

It’s hard trying to keep the peace while wondering whose peace you’re actually keeping.

But it’s less of a practice now and more of a habit.

It’s been going on for years, so why stop now?

It’s all you know, and no one has complained.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Wrong.

Because even though it’s helping everyone else, it’s hurting me.

This process causes pain,

sentences me to endless moments of suffering.

It’s excruciating.

But sadly, I can’t just stop.

I can’t just say that that’s it.

No more people pleasing.