People-pleasing is just lying politely. Every fake “no worries” is a small untruth.

REFLECTION

WHAT THIS MEANS

Agreeableness that overrides what you actually think is a kind of misinformation, delivered kindly. Each smoothed-over answer leaves the other person with a false picture of where you stand, and they go on making decisions based on it. The intention is to avoid friction, and the effect is that nobody can rely on what you say.

Start with the low-stakes ones, where the truth costs almost nothing. Say you would rather not, or that it did bother you, in an even tone with no apology attached. People adjust faster than you expect, and anyone who does not was relying on the agreeable version.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

When did you say it was fine and mean otherwise?

MORE IN TRUTH, ACCOUNTABILITY & SELF-AWARENESS

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