A people-pleaser is often someone who everyone thinks is useful and friendly. If you would like help with a project or someone to allow you to study for an exam, these individuals are completely happy to oblige.
If you recognize yourself in the outline above, you might be a people pleaser. But sooner or later, consistently making yourself available to others can take an emotional toll. You may find that you just are neglecting your individual needs since you fear disappointing others in the event that they ask for help.
So how do you already know should you are a pleasant person or someone who suits the profile of a people pleaser? It's one thing to need to help others since it's in your nature. But individuals who prefer it are sometimes taken advantage of by others. Signs that you just may be a people pleaser may include:
Be okay with whoever is in front of you. Many of us learn to listen politely to others as a part of our social skills. This can lead to people-pleasing behavior should you consistently agree with people because you wish to earn their admiration, fairly than because you think what you say.
Apologizing for things that aren't your fault. People who prefer it often blame themselves for the emotional reactions of others. When someone feels bad, you might blame yourself or worry that the person thinks you're the issue. It's good to apologize while you've hurt someone, but the issue could also be deeper should you incessantly apologize for things you may have no control over.
Not with the ability to say no. If you discover it difficult to inform people “no” after they ask you to do something, you might be a people pleaser. Many people-pleasers prefer to make up excuses later to avoid a commitment fairly than say “no” from the beginning. If you undergo with this, you might regret not having the strength to rise up for yourself.
Change your personality depending on who's around you. People pleasers are likely to conform their behavior and attitudes to that of the person or group. This may cause you to behave out of character or engage in actions you don't agree with just to slot in with society. People who prefer it are likely to do all the pieces possible to avoid conflict, even when it means turning into a totally different person.
Your value relies on how others see you. People who prefer it need the validation of others to feel good. You can go to extremes to earn words of praise from others. A people-pleaser's confidence rises and falls depending on how others perceive him.
If you're consistently focused on pleasing other people, you'll be able to lose sight of who you're. You may do not know what truly makes you completely happy. People who please may spend a lot time pleasing others that they don't know what to do with themselves when nobody asks them to do anything. Constant people-pleasing behavior can result in:
Lack of self-care. Constantly dedicating yourself to meeting the needs of others can lead you to neglect your individual. You may grow to be sick or psychologically burned out due to pressure to please everyone.
Pent-up resentment. You could also be suppressing your anger because you're feeling like others are profiting from you. This may lead you to make passive-aggressive comments and show other signs of frustration. You may end up withdrawing from people as an alternative of letting them know what's occurring and dealing to enhance the situation.
Inability to enjoy yourself. The stress of consistently pleasing other people could make it difficult to enjoy easy pleasures, reminiscent of going out for ice cream or watching your favorite TV show. If you end up committing to quite a lot of various things, you might find it difficult to modify off and loosen up attributable to the constant stress.
Take a step back and take a look at where you spend most of your time and energy. Keep track of how often you say “yes” when someone asks you to do something. Think about how you're feeling in these moments. Taking stock of the times if you end up unable to say a firm “no” can allow you to recognize such situations in the longer term and respond otherwise.
Look for patterns in your people-pleasing behavior. There could also be individuals who you're feeling more compelled to attempt to please. Your actions could also be a solution to recuperate from the pain they caused you previously.
Start recognizing your limitations and setting limits on the way you spend your time. Before making any commitments, consider how much bandwidth you actually have. Try to only spend your energy on the things that align together with your values and make you're feeling good.