Dear Kylee:

You wrote: “It can be draining sometimes to live up to others expectations of you”.

My comment: if another person expects you to act against your well-being and that would please him or her, then of course, that would be draining. For example, a person expects you to spend hours on the phone with her, into the night, while you have to get up early for work, living up to this person’s expectations of you is indeed, physically draining.

You wrote: “I just feel that almost any decision you make is going to hurt or offend someone out there”- I agree. Any of the words I am typing right this moment might offend someone. If the reader was able to see me at this moment, something about how I look, what I wear, etc.,  might offend someone. The only way for me to prevent any discomfort in another due to exposure to me, is to no longer be here, there or anywhere in any way, shape or form, to no longer exist.

I would say, pay attention to who it is you are trying to please, whose expectations you are trying to live up to, what those expectations are, and most importantly: figure out your own, authentic expectations of yourself and live up to those.

anita