Have you ever gotten on a bus even though you didn’t want to take the bus – just because the driver stopped specifically for you? Did you bravely eat a mushroom ragout, even though you can’t tolerate mushrooms, so as not to offend your host? Did you wake up too early from anesthesia and say nothing because you didn’t want to cause any trouble? Or were you mistaken, but were unable to clear up the misunderstanding – and have been living under a false identity ever since, at least in some situations?
People pleasers are people who avoid conflict at all costs, who are always friendly and helpful, and who often say “yes” even though they mean “no.” People who want to please everyone, even if they overstep their own boundaries.
Does this sound familiar? Then write to us! We are looking for funny, violent and absurd stories about people-pleasing. What’s the most extreme thing you’ve done to avoid disappointing others – or simply to avoid standing out? What bizarre situations has your niceness gotten you into? How did this come about? What was going through your mind? And how did you feel about it?
Write to us about your experiences using the form, in the comments or by email community-redaktion@zeit.de. We want to publish selected articles at ZEIT, anonymously if requested.
