People pleaser. NOT my job.

Always a work in progress, huh? I’m still working to ditch pieces of my negative mental programming.

Yesterday, after feeling a need to explain my decisions to someone for their approval, I was smacked with a moment of clarity.

It’s 100% definitely NOT my job to be a people pleaser.
I just need to be a good person.

That’s it.

I don’t need anyone’s acceptance or approval. (Nope.)
I’m not responsible for someone else’s feelings, expectations, wants, etc.
(I can’t control those things anyway.)

Let me say, this isn’t the first time this realization has struck me. And I’ll likely need more reminders down the road. But I AM getting better, and I WILL get this.

I know this tendency stems from childhood trauma. Several years of counseling were life-changing. I’m waaay less of a people pleaser now than I was in my 20s (and 30s).

But darn… this people-pleasing thing can still pop up occasionally and be such an emotional suck.

It’s exhausting. And I’m tired of it.

I’m a good person. 
And that’s enough for me.