Some people will not like what you say.

Some people will judge you.

Some people will disapprove.

Passionately.

Some people will lie to you.

Some people will misuse your trust.

Some people will ignore you.

Consistently.

Some people will say harsh words.

Some people will blame you.

Some people will gossip about you.

Relentlessly.

And then there’s you.

Amidst it all.

And you might tune down what you say.

(Hoping to get their approval.)

And losing your voice along the way.

And you might adapt your style.

(Hoping to win them over.)

And losing your sparkle along the way.

And you might change what you do.

(Hoping to avoid the judgment.)

And losing your dreams along the way.

But know that losing yourself

is a high price to pay

in a futile attempt to quiet their harsh voices,

gain their respect and stop the judgment.

It’s a high price for you.

And a high price for us.

Because we and you,

we both need your voice, your ideas, your sparkle,

your views, your creativity, your work

to make this world a better place.

Have you ever tried to win someone over, only to lose yourself instead? Have you ever tried to be someone you are not in order to make someone like you?

Trying to win someone over only makes you lose yourself. @AnBourmanne (Click to Tweet!)

Let us know in the comments below how you noticed that you were getting out of touch with yourself. And tell us what you did to re-focus on yourself.

An Bourmanne mentors smart, high-achieving women who are (secretly) stuck in a life that drains them, to untangle themselves from those “what will they think of me” worries + that nagging (carefully hidden) sense of somehow falling short. Grab the (free) Starter Kit right here to start creating a life that truly lights you up. Because life’s too short to be pretend happy. You can follow An on Twitter. 

Image courtesy of Mirko Isaia.