There is something to be said for the peacemakers and people pleasers in life. We need them. We love them. And, quite frankly, the world could probably use a few more people who genuinely care about how their actions affect others.
But there’s a difference between caring about someone else’s happiness and making yourself responsible for it.
Trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations is daunting at best and impossible at worst.
At some point, I think our goal has to become this:
Find true happiness without losing yourself in the process.
Of course, we want to hurt as few people as possible along the way. We should care about people. We should listen. We should consider how our choices affect those we love. We should be willing to admit when we’re wrong and change course when necessary.
But our happiness can’t depend on everyone else’s opinion of our choices.
Sometimes doing what you believe is right means someone will be disappointed in you.
Sometimes saying no will upset someone.
Sometimes setting a boundary will make someone uncomfortable.
Sometimes people simply won’t understand your decision.
And this one took me a LONG time to learn:
Someone being unhappy with your decision does not automatically mean you made the wrong decision.
Listen to the people you trust. Consider their perspective. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be willing to change your mind.
But don’t hand everyone else a vote on your life.
Ultimately, your road to happiness is a one-way street, and you’re the only one driving the car.
Make sure you’re actually headed somewhere YOU want to go.
