I am a terrible people pleaser.
Honestly it is something I struggle with all the time.
Facing the reality of this weakness, continually challenges me to confront it and change it.
The crazy thing is though, my people pleasing doesn’t cause me to be a fading wallflower, it’s the opposite.
I become defensive, I become loud, I become passionate, I become brash.
When I feel like I have let someone down or if I feel criticised or even worse shamed, I step forward not backward.
Which means it is a destructive cycle. Every time I respond badly, I hurt people, then I get defensive, then I am ashamed because people are unhappy with me and then I defend my behaviour. You get the picture!
As a leader I have failed and failed, learnt and apologised.
As a daughter I have cried and been humbled, argued and got defensive.
As a friend I have said way too much and regretted my outbursts.
As a human though, I have faced the reality of this weakness and continue to grow and change and confront it.
I don’t always get it right but I am authentically learning and changing, growing and moulding.
What way do you react to people’s opinion?
You may do the exact opposite, shrink back, internalise, hate on them quietly, manipulate, de-friend, block….the list goes on and on.
What if we transformed the criticism into creativity?
What if we empowered those feelings of lack into processing, fuelling our ideas, finding strength and change from them?
What if we took criticism (no matter if it was given badly or not) sucked it up and allowed it to bring change?
What if we were the bigger person?
What if we allowed it to make us stronger not weaker?
What if we listened and found the truth? (Even if that truth for us, is very different to the spirit it was intended)
What if?
Imagine what the creative community, our online contributions, our friendship circles, could look like?
What if?
Imagine.
Amanda
