Always willing to help, the “go-to” person of the group, always putting the needs of everyone else above her own, and great at staying calm on the outside while secretly panicking on the inside. Sound familiar? We all know someone who exhibits these characteristics, but what we often overlook is the physical and emotional burden carried by these people.
When we focus on pleasing and taking care of everyone else, we can begin to neglect ourselves. Before we know it, our schedule is double and triple-booked, our stress level is through the roof, and we snap at anyone who tries to help us… all while promising ourselves we won’t let this happen again. Unfortunately, we keep repeating the same cycle again and again.
Why? The three main reasons are fear of rejection, failure, and disappointment. We are afraid if we admit we are overwhelmed people won’t want to be around us. They will consider us a failure and a disappointment. We have to stop projecting our own fears on others. We are the only ones who can save ourselves by learning it’s okay to say “No.”