People pleasing: Is It Bad? What Causes It & How To Stop It (15 Precious Tips)

You could feel as though you have no free time if you engage in people-pleasing behavior. You may reclaim your life with a few helpful hints.

Maybe you’ve heard that people adore you because they know you’ll go above and beyond to fulfill their needs.

However, there is a downside: Recently, you have accepted every request made of you, even when you don’t want to.

Or perhaps you feel bad every time you have to refuse anything. Regardless of the situation, the risk of trying to please everyone is that it may leave you feeling emotionally spent, anxious, and burned out.

This article discusses the characteristics of a people-pleaser, as well as the reasons behind this conduct and its potential drawbacks. It also covers advice on how to quit putting the demands of others before your own and start attending to your own need.

Am I a People Pleaser?

Someone who prioritizes the needs of others before their own is a people-pleaser. People-pleasers have a strong sense of empathy for others and are frequently regarded as agreeable, helpful, and kind, but they can also struggle to speak up for themselves, which can result in unhealthy patterns of self-sacrifice or self-neglect.

People-pleasing is linked to the personality trait known as “sociotropy,” which refers to a pleasing preoccupation with winning others’ approval and preserving relationships.

This behavior could be a sign of one of the following mental health issues:

• Depression or Anxiety
• Codependency
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Avoidant personality disorder

How to Tell if You’re a People-Pleaser

People-pleasers frequently exhibit a variety of traits. The following are some indicators that you may be a people-pleaser:

• It’s hard for you to refuse someone.
• You worry about what other people might think of you.
• You feel bad if you say “no” to people.
• You worry that rejecting people may make them think you’re rude or self-centered.
• You struggle with emotions of poor self image;
• You consent to things you don’t enjoy;
• You do things you don’t want to do.
• You want people to like you and believe that by helping them, you will gain their respect.
• You apologize to people all the time.
• Even when something isn’t your fault, you shoulder the responsibility.
• You are constantly doing things for other people, so you never have any free time.
• You sacrifice your needs in order to fulfill those of others.
• Despite having diverse people, you pretend to agree with others

People-pleasers are frequently adept at perceiving others’ emotions. They are also typically compassionate, considerate, and empathetic. These favorable traits could also be accompanied by negative self-perception, the need for control, or a propensity for overachievement.

When you’re a people-pleaser, all of this effort to keep others happy may leave you feeling exhausted and worried, despite the fact that people may perceive you as a giver or nice person.

What Are the Causes of People-Pleasing?

It’s crucial to comprehend some of the causes of your potential people-pleasing behavior in order to cease doing it. Several elements, such as the following, could be involved:

• Low self-esteem: When people don’t respect their own wants and desires, they may engage in people-pleasing behavior. People-pleasers may feel that doing things for others would result in acceptance and approval because they lack self-confidence and have a need for external validation.

• Insecurity: In other instances, people may strive to win over others out of a sense of insecurity, fearing that if they don’t go above and beyond to make them happy, other people won’t like them.

• Perfectionism: Sometimes people demand that everything, including what other people think and feel, be “exactly so.”

• Past experiences: Difficult, painful, or traumatic events may also have an impact. People who have been the victims of abuse, for instance, may make every effort to win others over and appear agreeable in order to prevent inciting abusive behavior in others.

There are occasions when altruism serves as the driving force behind helping others. Someone may really desire to see that others receive the assistance they require. In other situations, trying to win over others might help a person feel loved or validated. People feel as though they are valuable and useful when their happiness is ensured.

Effects of Trying to Please Everyone, Is It Bad?

Pleasing others isn’t always a negative thing. Maintaining strong relationships with loved ones requires being someone who is attentive and compassionate. It becomes a concern, though, if you’re looking for affirmation to boost a shaky sense of self-worth or if you’re putting other people’s happiness above your own emotional wellbeing.

You might go through some of the following effects if you spend all of your time trying to make other people happy and gain their favor.

Angry and Irritated

Even while you could love assisting, you’re also likely to feel frustrated when you’re acting resentfully or out of necessity. These emotions may cause a vicious loop in which you assist someone, get upset with them for abusing your kindness, and then feel guilty or sad for yourself.

According to one study, people who feel a great urge to satisfy others are also more likely to overeat while they are out with others.

Stress and Anxiety

Your own physical and emotional energies may become overextended when you try to keep other people happy. You can experience stress and anxiety as a result of trying to handle everything, which could be bad for your health.

Actually, there are several advantages to helping others for one’s mental health.

However, if you don’t make time for yourself, you risk suffering the damaging health effects of too much stress.

Lack of Willpower

You are less likely to have the resolve and willpower to accomplish your own goals if you are putting all of your effort and mental capacity towards making others happy.

Willpower and self-control may be finite resources, according to some study.

It may simply indicate that you don’t have much time left to focus on your own needs if you are using your mental energy to make sure that other people have what they want or need.

Not Being Authentic

People-pleasing people frequently conceal their own wants and preferences in order to please others. This can give you the impression that you are not living your life honestly; you might even come to believe that you don’t even know yourself.

It’s challenging for other people to get to know the real you when you hide your true emotions.

In every close connection, self-disclosure is crucial, but it is ineffective if you aren’t being really honest.

Weakened Connections & Relationships

You could experience resentment if all of your efforts are focused on making sure you live up to other people’s expectations. Even though they could be grateful for your generosity, people might start to take your thoughtfulness and attention for granted.

Some people might not even be aware that they are misusing you. They only know that you are always ready to help, so they are certain that you will be there anytime you are required. They might not notice how stretched thin and possibly overcommitted you are.

Being kind versus trying to please everyone

There is a difference between acting in a way that is kind and acting in a way that is people-pleasing. People frequently show kindness for a variety of reasons, including feeling good, helping, returning favors, and earning them. It’s likely that people-pleasing is at play if you’re doing something out of a fear of being hated or rejected if you refuse.

How to Stop Pleasing Others

Fortunately, there are certain actions you can take to stop trying to make everyone happy and learn how to strike a balance between your need to please others and protecting your own interests.

Create Boundaries

It’s critical to be aware of your boundaries, set them up firmly, and then express them. Be explicit and precise about the responsibilities you’re willing to accept. If someone seems to be requesting too much, let them know that their request exceeds the scope of your willingness to assist and that you are unable to do so.

There are more strategies to establish boundaries in your life to assist control your propensity for people-pleasing. To limit your ability to converse, you can, for instance, only accept phone calls at specific times.

You may also say that you can only be reached for a limited time. This can be advantageous because it guarantees that you are in charge of both what and when you are willing to do anything.

Start Little

Making a big shift can be challenging, therefore it is frequently simpler to start by being assertive in modest ways.

It might be challenging to alter one’s behavior patterns. In many people, you not only need to retrain yourself, but also put out effort to help those around you come to terms with their own limitations.

Because of this, it may be beneficial to start small and gradually become less of a people-pleaser. Start with declining smaller requests, try voicing your opinion on something minor, or make a request for something you actually need.

For instance, try declining a text request. Then gradually advance to telling people “no” in person. Practice in various places or circumstances, such as when interacting with coworkers, placing an order at a restaurant, or speaking with salespeople.

You’ll develop more confidence each time you make a modest step away from being a people-pleaser, which will enable you to regain control over your life.

Create Priorities and Goals

Think about how you want to use your time. Who are you hoping to assist? What objectives are you attempting to meet? You may decide whether you have the time and energy to devote to something by understanding your priorities.

Take action to solve the issue if anything is draining your energy or consuming too much of your time. You’ll discover that you have more time to dedicate to the things that are truly important to you as you get better at setting those limits and saying no to things you don’t really want to undertake.

Use constructive self-talk.

Build up your resolve with empowering self-talk if you begin to feel overburdened or tempted to give in. Continually remind yourself that you deserve time to yourself. You shouldn’t feel pressured to spend time and energy on things that don’t make you happy because your goals are vital.

Take your time

Tell someone you need some time to think about it when they ask for a favor. By delaying your response to a request, you will have time to consider it and determine if it is something you truly want to undertake. Quickly responding to requests can leave you feeling obligated and overcommitted. Before choosing, consider the following questions.

• How long will this process take?
• Am I really sure I want to do this?
• Do I have the time to do it?
• How anxious will I be if I say “yes”?

Additionally, studies show that even a little pause before making a decision improves decision-making accuracy.

You can more effectively determine if you have the motivation and time to take on something by allowing yourself some time.

Examine the Request

A further step in conquering your people-pleasing tendencies is to watch out for indications that others are attempting to take advantage of your kindness. Do you know any people who seem to require something from you all the time but suddenly disappear when asked to repay the favor? Or do some people appear to be aware of your generosity and approach you knowing that you won’t say “no”?

Take some time to consider the matter and decide how you want to respond to the request if it seems like you are being coerced into doing something. Be stern and straightforward with repeat offenders or those who continuously pleading for your assistance.

Do Not Offer Excuses

When you say “no,” it’s crucial to be firm and to refrain from citing other commitments or offering an explanation. When you begin defending why you are unable to perform a task, you open the door for criticism from those around you. Alternately, you can be allowing them to change their request so that you can still comply with it.

When you say no to something, try to be firm without going into needless detail about your justification. Remember that the word “no” is a full sentence.

Keep in mind that relationships need giving and receiving.

A certain amount of reciprocity is necessary for a solid, healthy connection. When one person always gives while the other always takes, one person is frequently giving up items they need to make sure the other person gets what they desire.

Even though you might enjoy making people happy, keep in mind that they need to be doing the same for you.

Help when you feel like helping

You don’t have to stop being considerate and kind. These are admirable traits that can help build solid, enduring partnerships. Examining your intentions and motives is the key. Don’t act solely out of fear of being rejected or a need for other people’s favor.

Continue being good, but only on your terms. Kindness doesn’t need recognition or incentives; it just needs a desire to improve another person’s situation.

Final words

Finding strategies to create boundaries and reclaim your time is crucial if being a people-pleaser is preventing you from pursuing your own happiness. Keep in mind that you cannot satisfy everyone.

Speak with a mental health professional if you find that you are a people-pleaser and it is affecting your wellbeing. You can work with a qualified therapist to develop healthy boundaries, moderate your behavior, and give yourself priority.

And always remember this:

Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind