At first, it feels harmless.
You say yes when you mean maybe.
You smile even when you’re breaking inside.
You bend, twist, shrink just a little to keep the peace, to avoid disappointing anyone.
It becomes a habit.
Then a pattern.
Then... an identity.
People start calling you "so sweet," "so easygoing," "so understanding."
But they don’t see what it’s costing you.
Because being a people pleaser isn’t about kindness.
It’s about fear.
The fear of being disliked.
The fear of being seen as difficult.
The fear of being left behind if you dare to take up space.
So you start betraying yourself in tiny, almost invisible ways.
You laugh at jokes that hurt you.
You say "it’s okay" when it really wasn’t.
You go along with plans you never wanted.
You become the version of you that others find most convenient.
And slowly, painfully - you disappear.
Not all at once.
But piece by piece.
Boundary by boundary.
Truth by truth.
Until one day, you’re alone in your room and you realize - you don’t even know what 'you' want anymore.
You don’t know who 'you' are without the role of "the one who keeps everyone happy."
And the silence is loud.
So loud.
But here's the moment of truth:
You are not selfish for choosing yourself.
You are not rude for saying “no.”
You are not unkind for protecting your peace.
You were never meant to be everything for everyone.
You are allowed to disappoint others if it means being honest with yourself.
You are allowed to take up space, to speak up, to walk away.
Because your worth is not in how easy you are to love.
It’s in how deeply you are true to yourself - even when it’s uncomfortable.
So please, stop dimming your light to fit into places where you're only valued for your silence.
Let people down.
If it means lifting yourself up.
You don’t need to please everyone.
You just need to come home to you.
Wishing you a great day ahead.
Thank you :)