Member-only story
Say No.
Stop trying to make everyone happy. You are not a beer!
I grew up in a small Greek island and from a young age I felt this “social pressure” of being nice and agreeable to anyone.
Always be polite even if they are rude to you, always say “hi” to people who maybe you do not even like and always do your best to help and put others first, knowing for a fact that they would never go out of their way for you.
After all it is good manners and you should do it. This is how people will like you, how you will make good friends, how you will socialize.
When I reached 18 years old and finally moved away I realized that this is NOT a sustainable way of living.
It is definitely NOT healthy to try and make everyone you meet happy, sacrificing on the way your own well-being, your own dreams and desires.
You might think this is what makes you likeable but in the long term it will only leave you energy-drained, exhausted, disappointed and utterly lonely.
People will always like you when they have something to gain from you. But how many actually give you something in return? How many stay by your side when you have nothing to offer them anymore or when you are the one in need of support?
Since I was very young everyone around me would say how nice I am, how generous…
