[21] Sort of a problem here

Postby Tatazildo » Tue Mar 22, 2016 5:12 pm

Hello, everyone! I'm Luiz. I'm a 21yo brazilian freelance graphic designer, musician and advertiser.
I don't know if it's really a self-esteem/confidence issue, but I've been reviewing my actions and decisions and I realized I mostly don't take decisions for myself, but to please other people. It's been like this with all my romantic relationships and with people I know in general.

I'd describe myself as a very accomodated person. I rarely go out of my comfort zone to do new stuff, unless pulled by other people I trust. The most recent decision I took that I regretted was a singing course with my girlfriend. We both sing professionally already but the course would have a different approach and she'd like to try it out. So she invited me. We had already argued several times that week so I guess I accepted it so she would see I care about what she sants, but at the same time I wasn't honest with myself. I didn't want to go. I'm not familiar with the musical genres of the course, I don't know any of the members, I don't like exposing myself (even being an artist myself), the course was expensive. Once I said I wanted to go she went through a lot to get me inside, because they got a high demand of people. She paid my part in advance, asked for them to save a place for me and I was even taking someone else's place, I mean, someone who'd really enjoy. At the same time, the consequences for me denying to go would not be cool.

I didn't have any interest in learning the songs or to get familiar with the genres to prepare myself for the course so I called my girlfriend and decided to be honest with her, saying I wasn't feeling comfortable with this course and of course saying how sorry I was for accepting something too early and mostly to please her, and also sorry about what she went throught to get me a place there. At first she was mad but she thanked me for being honest.

Anyways in the end I decided to go to this course because if anything (if I hate the place and everyone) I'll always have her by my side. But I don't know how much time with a person like me can one stay.

Thing is, if I was to be honest to myself everytime someone invited me to do something I wouldn't do 90% of things and would be seen as a boring or uninteresting person, but on the other hand I would be honest to myself everytime. However, if I was to accept most of the things to please the other person and to maintain a healthy relationship (not romantically speaking) I could not like the outcome of the decision and would be very frustrated with myself ("why did I leave home tonight?" sort of thing).

I have no idea how to get better at this. Any help would be amazing. Thank you all!
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#1

Postby Richard@DecisionSkills » Tue Mar 22, 2016 5:34 pm

You can do both.

You can be honest with yourself and you can challenge yourself.

Step 1
Take control of the goals you want to achieve. These goals should get you out of your comfort zone, they should push you a little to learn and grow.

Step 2
Share these goals with your girlfriend or others close to you.

Step 3
Say no, whenever something offered is not aligned with one of the goals you want to achieve.

Step 4
Say yes, whenever something offered will help you achieve a goal.

In this way you allow yourself to say no and you can easily justify why.
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#2

Postby Candid » Tue Mar 22, 2016 6:10 pm

Tatazildo wrote:At first she was mad but she thanked me for being honest.


This is a text-book perfect response to you admitting what you'd done. Doesn't it give you confidence to be honest with your girl in future... and with other people, too?

if I was to be honest to myself everytime someone invited me to do something I wouldn't do 90% of things and would be seen as a boring or uninteresting person, but on the other hand I would be honest to myself everytime.


Lots of us do things to please other people. There's nothing wrong with saying: "This isn't something I would choose to do, but if it means a lot to you I'll go." With a lot of things, you won't know whether you like it until you try it.

Other people very often show us facets of ourselves that we would never have thought of exploring. You won't be boring or uninteresting if you learn to please yourself, and invite friends to join you sometimes instead of passively waiting to be invited to things you may not enjoy.
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#3

Postby cynthialeighton » Wed Mar 23, 2016 6:08 pm

Tatazildo wrote:I have no idea how to get better at this.


You got good suggestions here. Hope you'll follow up and say how it went:-)
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