In this week's episode, we unpack a topic that is so close to the bone for me and for so many of my sisters out there - and that is the need to be liked. I know that it has been the very thing that robs so many of us of the confidence we are building in ourselves because of our desperate need to know that others like us or approve of our decisions. Whether it shows up in continuous efforts to please people or feeling totally anxious when it comes to facing approval, many of us are completely fixated. 

I think we can all agree that women are taught from an early age to be pleasing, cheerful, and cute - which is the point where this fixation can get logjammed. And when the default expectation for women’s personalities is sweetness and pep, the world becomes a place where anything but isn't exactly tolerated. What is so deeply problematic about this expectation is that we’ve internalized this belief that legitimate feelings are somehow undesirable. And that we should plaster a fake smile on at anytime they’re hurt or angry or disappointed.

In episode 2 of Season 3, I share one of the earliest memories I have where I could remember my need to be liked forming. You would have thought that should have taught me in that moment that this need to please is for the birds. But no, it fueled it even more. The message in this episode is clear: unfortunately, not everyone will like you. But that’s okay. After all, the only person’s opinion of you that genuinely matters is your own. For those who resonate with this message, it's an encouraging word to stop living your life for other people, and start living it for yourself.

To learn more about this exciting UNLEARNING journey, be sure to follow Enough Labs on Instagram @enoughlabs

If you are interested in learning more about The Unlearning Lab, head to https://enoughlabs.com/the-unlearning-lab/

Doors are open now!