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Susan Grandfield's avatar

This point really spoke to me…..”You learned to relate to the world around people who weren't representative of humanity as a whole”. Even at the age of almost 50 I still sometimes notice the influence of my parent’s views of the world in my thinking! Being willing to stand behind my perspective as just as valid as theirs is something I’ve been working on for many years, and the expansion and relief that comes when I am able to do that is powerful.

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Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

Oh, the tales I could tell about saying "yes" to things I absolutely dreaded! Like the time I agreed to help a friend move, despite a crippling backache, and ended up almost breaking my neck trying to lift a ridiculously heavy sofa. My internal monologue that day was a cacophony of groans and self-recrimination. Your article beautifully articulates that quiet resentment that brews when we betray ourselves for the sake of perceived peace. It’s like, you think you’re being noble, but inside you’re just a simmering pot of "I wish I hadn't done that."

The humor in it for me now is looking back and realizing how utterly transparent my "niceness" must have been to anyone paying attention. The forced smiles, the slightly strained voice – it’s a performance, isn't it? And exhausting one at that. Thanks for shining a light on this, Ryan; it feels good to know I'm not alone in having been a card-carrying member of the "Lying for Love (and Fear)" club.

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