People Pleasing is My Safety Net

I never rock the boat. I rarely voice my opinion; I remain quiet in the background and hide my accomplishments to avoid making other people uncomfortable. I'll eat the wrong order at the restaurant instead of sending it back because I'm convinced I'm complaining and making things complicated for everyone else.

I think I'm happy. I think I'm being humble. I think this is what keeps me safe.

In exchange for people-pleasing, I receive an influx of unreliable relationships, the minimum of my basic needs met (if at all), and a constant battle in my mind between who I want to be and what other people are actively telling me I am. It's easy for people to say I need to stop sacrificing myself for others, but in my mind, I'm not sacrificing anything. I'm grateful and working hard to strengthen the relationship. I'm putting in the effort. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do.

Who knew things could be different?

I knew when I wrote this piece years ago which symbol went with it, even if I tried to avoid it at the time. The Isa rune is the eleventh symbol of the Elder Futhark. It is often translated as ice and represents stillness, patience, and stagnation.