Three Steps to Deal with the Fact That Not Everyone Will Like You
Here’s how you come to terms with the reality.
I have this ingrained need to please people. I couldn’t stand it when I suspected someone didn’t like me or found me annoying.
When I was younger, I thought real best friends were people who were never annoyed with you. I was perpetually afraid of doing something to irritate them and lose my friends forever.
I would lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling as I ran through various conversations and interactions I’d had that day.
Did I do something annoying?
Was I boring, or repetitive?
I needed to remember to talk less.
Ridiculous example: I had a drink with an old coworker the other day, and he mentioned another ex-coworker had got in touch with him.
“Josh said his new job is great — there’s nobody he actively dislikes there,” Mark said.
Immediately I was spiralling. Why had Josh not got in touch with me? Was I one of the people he disliked? How long had he hated me? What could I have done differently?
