Thank you Janis for this. I know, because I have been in the same situation before. Please remember to choose yourself always because just like you said, there are some people you will never please and this will come at a cost. Choose people who choose you always!
This really resonated. I’ve been thinking about the difference between adapting how you communicate and changing who you are. Most of us cross that line so often we’ve stopped noticing. I explored this recently — the energy cost, the trust erosion, the identity blur that comes from performing in too many rooms for too long. https://substack.com/home/post/p-189656830
I deeply resonate with this. I remember being 17 or 18 and deleting over a 100 contacts from my phone — a moment when I finally decided that enough was enough, that I deserved better. It hurt at first. But later, I realized what a blessing it was. Now at 32, my life feels so much warmer, and for the first time, I don’t feel lonely anymore. 🤍
That’s so powerful. It’s incredible how one brave moment can reshape the rest of your life. Letting go is rarely easy, it stings at first but it creates space for the right people, the right warmth, and the right kind of peace.
I’m so glad your life feels fuller and brighter now. You truly deserved that shift. 🤍
I deeply resonate with this. People-pleasing not only makes you feel small, it diminishes your self-esteem untill you have no reason to choose yourself first.
But the moment you start saying no, even with the guilt, that's the moment you become free.
Thank you Madonna for this. Absolutely; that moment of saying no, even when it feels uncomfortable, is where real freedom begins. It’s such a powerful shift from seeking approval to honoring ourselves.
This hit so deeply — the way you described people-pleasing as self-abandonment dressed up as kindness feels so true. I felt that quiet recognition in every line, especially the part about saying yes even when your intuition is screaming no. It’s raw and honest, but also deeply freeing — a reminder to choose ourselves without guilt…
Thank you so much Asuka for this. 💛 I’m really glad it resonated with you. Writing it was a reminder to myself too; that choosing ourselves isn’t selfish, it’s an act of self-respect. It’s not always easy, but it’s freeing, just like you said.
I tend to be a people pleaser, but do realize that no matter how hard you try, there are some people you're never going to please.
Thank you Janis for this. I know, because I have been in the same situation before. Please remember to choose yourself always because just like you said, there are some people you will never please and this will come at a cost. Choose people who choose you always!
This really resonated. I’ve been thinking about the difference between adapting how you communicate and changing who you are. Most of us cross that line so often we’ve stopped noticing. I explored this recently — the energy cost, the trust erosion, the identity blur that comes from performing in too many rooms for too long. https://substack.com/home/post/p-189656830
Thank you Matthew. That was beautifully written.
Thank you for reading and for the kind words.
I deeply resonate with this. I remember being 17 or 18 and deleting over a 100 contacts from my phone — a moment when I finally decided that enough was enough, that I deserved better. It hurt at first. But later, I realized what a blessing it was. Now at 32, my life feels so much warmer, and for the first time, I don’t feel lonely anymore. 🤍
That’s so powerful. It’s incredible how one brave moment can reshape the rest of your life. Letting go is rarely easy, it stings at first but it creates space for the right people, the right warmth, and the right kind of peace.
I’m so glad your life feels fuller and brighter now. You truly deserved that shift. 🤍
I deeply resonate with this. People-pleasing not only makes you feel small, it diminishes your self-esteem untill you have no reason to choose yourself first.
But the moment you start saying no, even with the guilt, that's the moment you become free.
Thank you for sharing ❤️
Thank you Madonna for this. Absolutely; that moment of saying no, even when it feels uncomfortable, is where real freedom begins. It’s such a powerful shift from seeking approval to honoring ourselves.
This hit so deeply — the way you described people-pleasing as self-abandonment dressed up as kindness feels so true. I felt that quiet recognition in every line, especially the part about saying yes even when your intuition is screaming no. It’s raw and honest, but also deeply freeing — a reminder to choose ourselves without guilt…
Thank you so much Asuka for this. 💛 I’m really glad it resonated with you. Writing it was a reminder to myself too; that choosing ourselves isn’t selfish, it’s an act of self-respect. It’s not always easy, but it’s freeing, just like you said.