There comes a point in life when women just stop bending over backward to please everyone. Honestly, it’s one of the most freeing feelings ever. After years of trying to meet expectations, keep the peace, or win approval, they realize: enough is enough. Here are 11 things many women have happily stopped doing just to please others, and life’s a lot better for it.
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Apologizing for everything
Strong women stop apologizing for things they don’t need to be sorry for, like having an opinion, asking questions or just existing in general. They realize not every little thing is their fault, and honestly, it’s freeing.
Changing how they dress to fit expectations
Strong women stop dressing in a certain way just to appear “put together” in other people’s eyes. It’s their body, and if they feel good in a pair of jeans and sneakers or a printed dress and sandals, they wear them, no matter what others have to say about it.
Saying yes to every invitation
These women stop forcing themselves to go to dinners, parties, meetings, and events they really don’t want to attend. Learning how to say “no thanks” without feeling guilty about it is their new superpower.
Holding back opinions to avoid conflict
Many women stop nodding along when they don’t agree just to keep the peace. They’ve learned that their voice is just as important as anyone else’s voice and that being authentic means standing up for what they believe in.
Doing emotional labor for everyone
Strong women stop being the unpaid therapist, the peace keeper, and the problem solver for everyone around them. They’ve realized that it is not their responsibility to listen to everyone’s problems and shoulder everyone’s emotional burden.
Dimming their own achievements
Successful women stop devaluing their own success by saying, “Oh, it was nothing,” or “I just got lucky.” They worked hard, and they’re allowed to own their success without shrinking themselves.
Changing their body to fit beauty standards
Healthy and strong women stop obsessing over crash diets, overworking out, and jumping on the newest beauty trends just to get into the kind of body that society and other people would approve of. Feeling strong and good in their own skin is way more important.
Forcing relationships to work
Happy women stop chasing after friends, romantic partners, boyfriends, and even family members who are just not willing to put in the same amount of effort as they do. If the energy isn’t mutual, they’re okay stepping back.
Pretending to like things they don’t
Pretending to like things, hobbies, TV shows, and activities they are not really into just to fit in, isn’t for strong women. They’d rather honestly admit, “That’s just not really my thing,” and spend their time doing things that they actually love.
Trying to be liked by everyone
Women stop acting like a million different versions of themselves just to be liked by everybody they meet. They know now: not everyone’s going to vibe with you, and that’s honestly a huge relief.
Ignoring their own health and needs
They stop pushing through exhaustion or skipping check-ups just to be available for everyone else. Taking care of themselves becomes a priority, not an afterthought.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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