You Don’t Owe Anyone Anything
If you’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, this one’s for you.
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed how much time I spend worrying about disappointing others — particularly my family.
What will they think? Will they support me? Will they approve my choices? Will they understand my perspective? Am I going to let them down?
I realized that my fear of disappointing people has its roots in my childhood. As a child, I felt unloved and unaccepted whenever I disappointed my parents. I’d only feel loved when I’d follow their rules and act according to their standards and expectations.
I eventually learned that it was my duty to please everyone and carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. My needs and wants didn’t matter, as long as everyone around me was happy.
Now, I know this is simply not true. I don’t owe anyone anything. My only responsibility is to make sure my mental health and well-being are my top priority, and that’s it.
But, since I know what it’s like to feel that terrible, constant fear of disappointing others, I am here to tell you what you need to hear.
I am here to tell you what I wish somebody had told me all these years.
