Being passive.
As kids, we’re often conditioned to prioritize pleasing others over being true to ourselves.
When we express our genuine thoughts and feelings, we might get shut down, punished, or shamed.
Over time, we learn to suppress our authenticity to avoid those uncomfortable emotions.
We start behaving in ways that garner approval and acceptance from others, even if it means sacrificing our own desires and preferences.
As we grow older, this people-pleasing behaviour can become second nature. We might find ourselves agreeing to things we don’t want to do, pretending to like things that don’t genuinely resonate with us, or hiding our true opinions to avoid conflict.
But in doing so, we lose touch with our own identities. We start to wonder what we truly like, what we’re passionate about, and what makes us happy.
It’s like we’re living someone else’s life, trying to fit into a mold that’s been created for us.
To break free from this cycle, we need to relearn what it means to be authentic, to listen to our own voice, and to honour our true selves.
Support is out here.