Most of us wish to grow through life, standing ever taller and straighter as we go. Expressing ever more of our true selves.
If we’re lucky, we have people who metaphorically crouch down, clasp their hands together and give us a leg up to new heights of self-expression.
But we often also have people who place an invisible heavy hand on our shoulder, firmly pressing down. Seeking to make us smaller.
Here’s 10 examples of how those close to us might be subtly holding us back… by encouraging us to:
- Adopt more “realistic” goals, rather than pursue what we truly desire
- Take “safer” or higher paid jobs, rather than grow into our vocation
- “Grow up” and follow the beaten path, rather than carve our own path
- Maintain the status quo, rather than improve things
- Agree with them, rather than develop our own worldview
- Spend all our time with them, rather than maintain healthy independence
- Convert to their beliefs, rather than celebrate our differences
- Skirt around their insecurities, rather than asking us to help them work on themselves
- Edit our words, rather than express our true selves
- Minimise our achievements, rather than celebrate them
