Do you often find yourself striving to please everyone around you, only to feel completely defeated and crushed when you inevitably disappoint someone important to you?
We bend over backward to meet unrealistic expectations (as you know, these are often our own), only to find ourselves feeling empty and unfulfilled.
As high achievers, we’re driven by a deep desire for validation and acceptance. However, the belief that we can please everyone in our lives is yet again an unrealistic standard.
Many of us attempt to avoid disappointing ourselves and others by overextending our empathy and overextending ourselves by saying yes to every request.
However, this only keeps us stuck in the cycle of people-pleasing and leaves us feeling drained and resentful.
Constantly seeking approval from others is a recipe for burnout and feeling a lack of purpose. It’s impossible to maintain this mask of perfection forever, not to mention how exhausting it can be too.
It’s time to shift our perspective and embrace the reality that disappointing people is a natural part of life, and the next step in your growth.
Here are three steps to normalize disappointing people and choose to be authentically you in everything you do:
1. Accept Imperfection:
Recognize that it’s okay to fall short of others’ expectations. Live your life by your expectations of you, and not by the expectations of others. Embrace your imperfections and understand that disappointment is a normal part of human interactions – you sure know how to handle it. Others can too.
2. Set Boundaries:
Learn to prioritize your own needs and values, even if it means saying no to others. Setting boundaries is essential for maintaining healthy relationships and preserving your well-being. Know your values and make choices that align with them.
3. Communicate Honestly:
Instead of avoiding difficult conversations, practice open and honest communication. Express your thoughts and feelings authentically, even if it means risking disappointment. Choosing brutal honesty is not always easy. But it will take you much further than a white lie will.
TL;DR
1. Recognize that disappointing others is a natural part of life and essential for personal growth.
2. Shift away from seeking validation and approval from others and know that disappointing people is inevitable.
3. Practice setting boundaries and saying no when necessary, so you can say yes when necessary instead.
4. Choose genuine connections by communicating openly and honestly, even if it means risking disappointment.
