How To Compromise In Relationships Without Compromising Yourself

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Are you people-pleasing?

If you’re a people-pleaser, you may have lost the ability to determine when a compromise that is asked of you is fair and healthy. If your priority is to make others happy, you likely won’t ask yourself if the compromise is fair. Howard says she has a friend who has a hard time saying “No” when she wants to leave, or just go to sleep, but her partner wants her around. The risk there is she allows others to deplete her.

“That comes from the people-pleasing syndrome. People pleasers want to meet others’ needs so much they’re willing to ignore their own needs, and deplete themselves completely,” she says. For people-pleasers, alone time is so important. “That me-time teaches you how to appreciate yourself, value your time, and value your inner voice that says ‘I’m tired. I need a break,’” Howard adds. “A lot of women struggle with that at times.”