You know, when we were much younger, there was this habit of doing things to please everyone and to gain praise or maybe gifts from them. And if at the end of the day our effort was not noticed, we would get so upset that it could even lead to tears. Funny enough, many people still grew up with that character and habit of wanting someone’s approval before doing things or trying to please everyone.
But over the years, while growing up, I have learnt to do things not to please people. This doesn’t mean I don’t take advice from others, I do. But I always have the final decision over any advice that comes in. If it works for me or favours me, I implement it. If it doesn’t, I pause, regardless of what others may feel. If it doesn’t sit well with me, then I will not do it.
Personally, I love attending people’s events if and only if I am invited and the date or timing favours me. At times, I even squeeze time out of my busy schedule to attend an event, even when I am stressed. But at a point, I noticed that this habit of trying to meet up with every event was not helping me. Most times, I would attend about four events in a day, come back home, and be completely exhausted. It felt as though I was doing all of this to please others at the expense of myself.
So at a point, I stopped. If I have three events in a day, I attend at most two, and they must be around the same vicinity or route. Anything outside that, I attend only one. So far, this has helped me manage stress, although some people may not be happy about it. But you must stay alive to serve others.
