Episode 19
Being Misunderstood
Episode 19: The Art of Being Misunderstood - Embrace the Mystery!
Welcome to The Mirror Project!
Welcome to The Mirror Project! We’re your hosts, Christine and Alexandra. Today, we're diving into the world of misunderstandings. Ever feel like no one gets you? Us too! We’ll share our stories from being chronic people pleasers to appreciating the beauty of being misunderstood. It’s going to be a lively ride!
Stay Connected
Before we delve into today's riveting topic, make sure to hit that like, subscribe, or follow button on your favorite listening platform. Let's make this journey together
Being Misunderstood
A short video from Annie Rose Nelson (@annierose.nelson) caught our attention. She said: "My life got easier once I realized it is not my responsibility to convince you to choose me or beg you to like me. I have decided to stop over-explaining myself and start getting used to people misunderstanding me instead." We discuss our reactions to this empowering perspective and how it resonates with our own experiences. *We have no affiliation with this creator, just enjoy her video.
Recovering People Pleasers
The trap of people pleasing and how we have people-pleased to the point of losing sight of what we truly want. Finding ourselves and our journey to understanding why we became people pleasers in the first place.The strategies and tools we are using to break free from this pattern.
Engage with Us on Socials
Craving more of our company? Join the fun over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Dive deeper into our world and engage with us on a whole new level!
Evolution
How we are healing and moving forward. We discuss our evolution from needing approval to embracing misunderstandings, though we are not quite there yet. Q&A Time: Would we ever truly be okay being misunderstood? We ask each other this crucial question and share our honest thoughts.
Closing Thoughts
And that's a wrap! Misunderstandings are part of life, but they’re not our burden to bear. Embrace the mystery and let it be part of your evolution. Thanks for joining us! Next week, we’ll dive into the world of yoga with a special guest, Victoria. Keep reflecting and growing.
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Join Us Next Time
Don't forget to like, subscribe, or follow on your preferred platform. Until next time, let's keep the conversation going. See you in the next episode!
Transcript
Hello and welcome to the Mirror Project.
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:We are your host, Christine,
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:Alexandra: And Alexandra,
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:Christine: and we're
thrilled you're joining us.
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:Today we're diving headfirst into
the world of misunderstandings.
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:Ever feel like you're speaking
in riddles no one else gets?
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:Us too.
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:We're going to share our personal
stories from our days as chronic people
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:pleasers to our newfound appreciation
for the beauty of being misunderstood.
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:Buckle up.
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:It's going to be a lively
and insightful ride.
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:Alexandra: Before we delve into today's
riveting topic, make sure to hit that
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:like subscribe or follow button on
your favorite listening platform.
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:Take a moment to do it now
before it slips your mind.
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:Trust us.
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:We're not getting started without you.
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:Let's make this journey together.
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:Christine: All right, so let's dive in.
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:We're going to first talk about
being misunderstood and this
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:all started for us and what.
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:inspired this episode was
something we shared with each
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:other on Instagram as per usual.
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:Alexandra: I feel like that
should just be standard now.
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:If we say a video.
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:I think everyone is going to
assume we got it off of Instagram.
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:Christine: I know we should start,
you know, what we should start is the,
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:a channel on Instagram, and we just
share it with everybody now so they can
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:see our craziness.
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:Um,
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:Alexandra: Join our hamster
wheels and our heads, people.
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:Christine: Yeah, it's crazy sometimes,
but anyway, the video that I can't
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:remember who shared with who,
but it's comes from Annie Rose
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:Nelson at Annie Rose dot Nelson.
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:And it says, my life got easier
once I realized it's not my
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:responsibility to convince you to
choose me or beg you to like me.
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:I have decided to stop overexplaining
myself and start getting used to
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:people misunderstanding me instead.
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:So, alexandra, what do you
think of this off the bat?
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:I would love to know.
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:Alexandra: Wow.
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:This really hit me.
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:I don't remember who shared it,
but I think the first time I
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:watched it, I just went, oof.
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:Whoa, because I think I often
get so up in my head about
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:what I say, how I say things.
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:Will it hurt somebody?
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:Will it be misunderstood?
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:Am I explaining myself clearly enough?
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:And it's something I think it's
something I tend to get from my mother
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:with the over explaining, right?
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:I have to over explain myself and
that's something I've been consciously
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:trying to work on recently is I
think Christine, you and I have both
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:seen the movie The Spy Who Dumped Me
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:And Mila Kunis character's friend
was trying to stop her from over
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:explaining and just it's just you
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:Christine: it comes to lying.
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:Yes.
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:Alexandra: She was like,
what'd you do this weekend?
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:Oh, I bought a boat.
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:And she's that's it.
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:You're out.
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:Just, I bought a boat.
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:So that's my kind of thing.
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:Which tied into this, it's just okay,
I realized it's not my responsibility
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:to make other people understand me.
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:And I don't mean being cryptically
vague about life, but I do mean if
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:somebody doesn't get who I am or
what I'm saying, then that's okay.
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:I don't have to overexert myself
and overextend myself to explain
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:that because then I just get
continually more up in my head.
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:So I tried to think about both.
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:But uh, you know, start getting used
to people, but start getting used to
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:people, misunderstanding me instead.
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:That is definitely something
I need more practice at.
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:So Christine, where did this hit you?
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:How, How did it hit you?
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:Christine: So I think it's so
beautifully put and short and sweet,
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:but the part that got me was, it's
not my responsibility to convince you
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:to choose me or beg you to like me.
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:And I think, you know, that
just really resonated with me.
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:Not, and I'm trying to figure out why,
because in once I reached my adult life,
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:like college and even after college, I
don't know if I care as much about caring
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:what people think or like wanting them
to like me, but it definitely speaks
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:to, I think Little Christine, who always
wanted, I just remember I went to, as I've
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:Mentioned before small Catholic school
not big high school, and it was all girls.
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:So just those two environments being
with the same people for so long
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:at an elementary and middle school.
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:It just, I just, I remembered feeling
kind of lonely because I had a couple
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:of friends, but it wasn't the warmest
environment I would say, and I think I
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:struggled a lot with And I think a lot of
people do when they're younger, struggle
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:with wanting to be liked and like changing
how you who you truly are to be liked.
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:And that's what I observed in a
lot of the peers around me, but
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:that was never how I functioned was
like changing who I was to fit in.
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:And I really, as we mentioned in our, Last
couple episodes ago with our moms my mom
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:shared that she really instilled in me and
my sisters embracing us embracing who we
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:genuinely are and not like hiding that.
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:And, you know, while that's such
a beautiful sentiment and I'm so
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:grateful for it now, it really was
kind of what ostracized me, I think.
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:a little bit when I was younger, and
I only know this now as an adult, but
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:reflecting on that, I was like why
am I like, why don't they like me or
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:why am I being left out of things?
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:Why am I made to feel bad about myself?
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:And I think it's because the kids
around me were hiding who they were.
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:And so, maybe seeing someone who isn't
doing that, they were like, trying to put
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:them down to make themselves feel better.
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:I don't know.
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:But, I digress.
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:That's
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:really the part of the quote
that, that struck me the most.
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:Alexandra: no, and it's interesting
that you say that, right?
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:Because that is something, you know,
I think I struggled with internally.
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:It's that I, young Alexandra, and to some
extent, Who I am today, I think does kind
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:of get wrapped up in the feel like I have
to make it easy for people to pick me.
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:I think
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:we can call it insecurity and we can
call it me being so up in my head
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:and have been for a very long time.
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:As we've talked about many times on
this show that I tend to overthink
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:things is I wanted to be liked.
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:I wanted to be popular, but to be
honest, I've probably gone my own way.
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:That you know, almost didn't
allow myself to do things.
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:So I think there is still a part of me
that's I want to be picked and I want
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:people to like me, but I probably need
to let go of, it's not my responsibility
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:to make people like me And by shedding
some of that, maybe the right people
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:will start to come in my life.
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:You know, it's not necessarily people
who will take advantage of that
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:need because they don't necessarily
say that out loud like, Oh my
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:gosh, pick me, pick me, pick me.
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:But it's more of like you said,
Christine, like I would change myself
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:to make other people happy and very
adaptable, moldable in that way.
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:I think in part because I am such an
empath and as a child, I just sucked at
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:people's emotions, positive and negative.
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:So I kind of did become
what people needed.
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:And yeah, realizing that I don't have
to make people like me, that's a,
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:like a world changing view for
myself, . So definitely something
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:I struggle with and I'd like to
be a bit more confident with like.
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:you can take me or leave
me, it does not matter.
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:Christine: Yeah, absolutely.
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:I, and I think just to bring it full
circle for me with this quote, the idea
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:of being misunderstood is something.
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:I've really started to reflect more on
as an adult and trying to get to the
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:heart of like, okay, what is it truly?
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:What is it about being misunderstood that
makes people uncomfortable or frustrated?
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:And how
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:do we let that go?
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:Is it something, cause I think there's
a, there's an aspect to this where
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:I think being misunderstood isn't.
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:Is for me a chance for me to dig
deeper and figure out okay, how can
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:I better communicate to people my
thoughts and feelings and opinions.
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:But after that point, if I
feel like I have expressed.
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:My thoughts, feelings, and opinions
to in a way that accurately reflects
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:how I am feeling on the matter
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:and they still misunderstand.
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:And that's not my problem.
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:That's their problem.
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:So it's kind of interesting, something
that I've, as I've become an adult
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:figuring out okay, being okay with, you
know, Misunderstanding, but there is
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:sometimes an area of where, well, I don't
know if I fully understand what I'm like.
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:I feel like I'm misunderstanding
myself and digging deeper.
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:And why am I feeling this way?
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:Or, you know, whenever I'm having
a debate or conversation with
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:a friend or a family member.
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:And it's the first time I'm actually
talking on a thought or an idea.
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:And it's like, well, I'm still trying
to figure out, I know I have an
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:opinion and a feeling on the matter,
but I'm still trying to articulate it
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:and figure out like what where I am.
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:So something to dive in more into
later this episode, but yeah,
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:those are my initial thoughts.
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:Do you have anything
else, Alexandra on this?
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:Alexandra: so as you were talking,
I almost was picturing like a
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:continuum of conversation, right?
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:And dialogue of being perfectly understood
to being perfectly misunderstood.
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:And I really did not think of it kind of
as a continuum until you were talking.
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:And it's yes, you can do
all that you can to be
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:as understood as possible, right?
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:To clear.
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:If you know your own thoughts,
because I know you've mentioned
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:sometimes you're like, at what
point do you, do I lose myself?
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:But let's say you get to a point where
you're like, I know what I'm saying.
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:I know what I mean.
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:And I'm conveying that clearly now
you've kind of come to the middle of the
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:continuum, but the other person may not
be putting into the work to meet you.
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:Near the center.
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:And I think we both have the
tendency to then go, okay, let me
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:do more than my fair share in this
conversation and over explain to
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:meet the other person's deficient
understanding of the conversation.
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:So I just, as you were talking,
I was like, wow, that was a
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:really clear picture in my head.
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:And I don't think I'd ever really thought
of it that way of okay, so I'm going
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:more because somebody is not meeting me.
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:Christine: Yeah, exactly.
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:And I think I'm at a point where it
depends on who I'm talking to, right?
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:If it's a family member or somebody
I love, a friend, if there's a
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:misunderstanding, like I care about
this person in our relationship,
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:so I want to work to resolve that.
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:But if it's somebody,
like a coworker, someone.
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:An
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:acquaintance, someone on the
street misunderstandings happen.
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:It's part of life.
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:And don't sweat the small stuff, I guess.
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:It's something that
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:I am constantly trying to remember.
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:Craving more of our company?
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:Join the fun over on Instagram, TikTok,
and YouTube at Mirror Project Pod.
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:Dive deeper into our world and
engage with us on a whole new level.
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:Don't miss out on the excitement.
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:Alexandra: I feel like that's a
great roll into our next topic of
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:recovering from people pleasing, right?
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:So I feel like you briefly mentioned
this, people being people pleasers, people
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:pleasing so much to the point that it's
hard to distinguish what we even want.
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:What's your experience with that beyond
what you already briefly touched upon?
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:Right.
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:Christine: I have, I've noticed in myself,
and I think It's something I've reflected
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:on in people close to me and around me
that I do sometimes, it's easier for me to
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:go along with what somebody else
wants than to really think, stop and
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:think is this what I really want?
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:And I, people do challenge
me on it sometimes and it's
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:what do you want, Christine?
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:You know, there's a part of me that's
well, I don't know what I want, but I
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:feel like I have to, sometimes it's a
matter of well, I feel like I have to
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:give you an answer right away, depending
on what the situation is or or just
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:being like truthful and I don't really
want to do this and that's an answer
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:to
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:Alexandra: I feel like, Christine,
you would say that you're a very laid
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:back, kind of go with the flow person
and I think sometimes that can come
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:into conflict a little bit, right?
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:And I'm thinking of oh, if I'm
trying to be a bit more go with the
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:flow, but I really don't want to do
something, you know, that's where
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:like the people pleasing kind of goes.
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:Wait, what do I do?
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:Christine: yeah,
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:Alexandra: To go with the flow.
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:This is who I am, but now I need to please
people and they're asking for something.
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:What?
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:It's like you're, like
a little brain spaz.
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:Christine: Yeah.
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:And it's
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:I have that element.
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:I have that aspect to my personality,
which is yeah, I'll go with the flow.
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:Like I'm not picky usually
I'll add that caveat there,
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:but also it's I also have some
relationships where I'm the one
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:that if I don't make a decision,
nothing's going to, so it's an
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:interesting, it's interesting where.
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:My people pleasing pops up.
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:I will say like when it comes to my
family or when it comes, I think the
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:biggest area that I struggle with
people pleasing is work, because I think
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:a lot of people can relate to this.
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:When I first started working, the
feeling of imposter syndrome, I
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:definitely have struggled with the
feeling of I'm lucky to be here.
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:I'm lucky to be.
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:Offer the job, not that they're lucky
that like, they're lucky to have me.
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:I'm qualified to be here and I'm
eager to share and bring to the table
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:my expertise on them on X, Y, and Z.
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:So that's the area in my adult life
that I feel like I have struggled
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:the most with when it comes to
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:people pleasing.
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:Alexandra: Have there been any
recent specific scenarios that
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:you feel comfortable sharing?
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:Christine: I think the most recent
would be the, my last position.
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:I left about.
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:almost a year ago.
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:I,
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:I feel like another part of
who I am is I'm very loyal.
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:I have a lot of integrity when it
comes to something I care about.
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:I put my heart and soul into it.
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:And
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:if I'm not careful, that's
easily taken advantage of.
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:And I say that because I feel
like something I've learned if
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:One of the big lessons I took
away from that experience was,
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:it's sad to say, but I'm the
only one who's looking out
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:for me at the end of the day.
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:Yes, I have people in my life, family,
friends who care for me and want the
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:best for me, but the person who is 100
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:percent has my back
all the time is myself.
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:So if I don't
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:stick up for myself and I don't,
and things can happen, you
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:could be taken advantage of.
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:And that's sort of where I found myself.
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:And because I had so much invested
in those, that professional
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:relationship, there was also a
personal relationship aspect to it.
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:I just was like,
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:Suffering in silence
because I cared so much.
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:And this was something I think
I was attached to the idea
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:of what I wanted it to be.
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:And it was, it started to
become the opposite of that.
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:And I think I was still hanging on
because I, I had this idea in my head.
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:Sorry if I'm sort of
veering off topic here, but
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:Alexandra: No, that makes a lot of
sense, because when you said that, I
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:was like, oh, wow, I have done that.
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:when what you said about being.
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:More attached to the idea of
something, and that's why you
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:stay definitely a few things in my
life where I'm like, Oh my gosh.
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:Wow.
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:Yeah.
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:Christine: yeah,
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:Alexandra: Can see where I did that.
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:Christine: Right, right.
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:I also feel like I have to catch myself
because I don't want to fall into the
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:habit of being a yes, like a yes ma'am or
yes man type of person and what I mean by
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:that if that's not clear, like if some,
if somebody comes to me and asks something
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:of me A boss or a manager or something.
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:And instinctually I might
be like, Oh yeah, sure.
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:But stopping and thinking well, is this
something that one is my responsibility
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:and two, is it the best way to go about
it and not being afraid to offer up
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:suggestions of Oh, what if we did this or
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:you know, try to try doing it
this way instead, because I
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:think it is easy to be that.
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:Yes.
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:Yes.
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:That Yes Man person but I think a lot
of people, employers, might value,
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:what should value your opinions.
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:They want to know.
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:So,
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:Alexandra: Yeah.
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:And particularly if you have that respect
for a supervisor or An employer that
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:kind of relationship and you invest
into that relationship sometimes when
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:somebody asks you to do something
that I don't know, cases where like
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:I haven't felt comfortable doing
because it's outside my wheelhouse.
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:Not that I'm unwilling to learn.
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:I totally am.
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:Maybe on the timeline it's different
or it's already so much on my plate,
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:but I don't feel like I can say no.
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:I definitely see that's where the
people pleasing and it's like I, like
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:Christine, will suffer in silence or
irritation and frustration because
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:now I've got this other thing on my
plate that I have to take care of
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:on top of everything else because I
didn't feel like I have the ability
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:or the right to say no to my boss.
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:Or know to someone of a higher level where
I work and just say, I would love to help.
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:I do not have space on my plate.
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:I just don't feel like
I can say that, which.
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:Maybe more of a reflection of the growth I
need to work on and improvement, but yeah,
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:that's where it's oh, I need to do this.
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:I need to please people.
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:I need to continually prove to the
people above me that I am Confident
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:that I am good at my job that I
can do things So definitely so
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:Christine: Yeah.
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:Alexandra: where would you say?
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:Looking back, you first noticed the
tendency to be a bit more of a people
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:pleaser, to kind of fall into that role.
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:Christine: I guess it's
always kind of been there.
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:I think a part of it is
I have that aspect to me.
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:That is go with the flow.
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:Don't cause too many waves.
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:Really I've always sort of been that way
and I think it's just sort of snowballed.
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:And as I've gone and gotten into my
adult life, as I've started working and
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:being faced with situations where like
you're, When you speak up for yourself
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:and that feeling of vulnerability and
uncomfortability you know, it was easier
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:to like, Ignore it, suffer in silence.
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:And so I think it's sort of just
has snowballed over the years.
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:And with this last job
situation I've found myself
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:in, it kind of snuck up on me.
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:I think like I kept sort of writing things
off or like brushing things off that
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:sort of was like, looking back on it.
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:I don't think if I had noticed
those things and not sort of.
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:Ignored the signs sooner.
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:I'm, it may have been ended
and ended very differently.
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:Who knows?
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:But yeah, I guess, I don't know.
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:I guess I've always, it's always
been kind of a part of me, but I'm
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:trying to think like, when did it
become what it has become today?
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:What about you?
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:What about you, Alexandra?
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:Alexandra: I'd say that
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:it's probably been there for
a long time in the sense of
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:just wanting to help people.
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:And I remember back to kindergarten
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:feeling like somehow it was my
responsibility to take care of
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:people, make sure that they were okay.
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:You know, I had mentioned that I did
grow up an only child and that I call
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:people and really close friends like
Christine and Simmi, my sisters, because
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:I do genuinely see them that way.
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:I did grow up as an only child so I
didn't have siblings in my space, but
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:I would happily share anything with
anyone if they just asked and probably
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:to my own detriment in many ways.
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:You know, and I think as I went up through
grades, schools, you know, people would
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:come to me and then it felt like I ended
up being people's therapist because
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:it's, I thought that's what they needed
and before I really understood what was
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:happening, not only was I just being a
listening ear for them, but I was ended
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:up taking their negative emotions from
them and I, they would leave feeling
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:amazing and great and I would feel Just
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:terrible and then I felt compelled
the next time they were down or
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:about something not feeling great,
that I had to let them, that I had
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:to make them feel better that, you
know, I was responsible for that.
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:And I think I'm going to do that now.
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:And it's just you know, when I try to
set boundaries and say no, I can't give
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:somebody more than this and, or I'm not
going to do something that would please
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:somebody because I'd done it in the
past when I don't have anything to give.
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:It's very uncomfortable.
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:Like not only being misunderstood
and saying sorry, I can't and
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:people going, well, but you've
done it before in the past.
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:You've helped before.
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:Well, you can do it.
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:I know I can.
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:I just mean not to.
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:And so that's very difficult.
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:So I think Christine, like you, it's just.
395
:A huge part of who I am and you're like,
396
:Oh, wow.
397
:I'm realizing how unhealthy,
you know, it is for me and my
398
:body and my own mental sanity.
399
:And also putting, continually
putting myself last.
400
:So
401
:it's,
402
:Christine: Yep.
403
:I feel that, you know, it's funny
you sorry, just one thing I want to
404
:jump in based on what you're saying, like
that was resonating so much with me is
405
:I definitely feel like for the longest
time I would take on, I would be, you
406
:know, cause I, I care for the people I
have in my life, friends, loved ones.
407
:And I'd always want to be there
for those people that I care
408
:about because they're important.
409
:And I want to make sure that.
410
:They feel supported.
411
:So I definitely relate to leaving,
taking on the, their energy.
412
:And it's something I'm working on
and figuring out ways to still be
413
:that for them, but not take it on.
414
:But another thing I would continuously
do is downplay my struggles and
415
:Alexandra: Yes.
416
:Christine: Like.
417
:Oh, there's people in the world who have
it way worse off than I do minimizing
418
:my feelings and emotions on things.
419
:And it's not because I was
ever made to feel like that.
420
:It's just,
421
:As long as I could remember,
that's just how I functioned.
422
:Was like,
423
:I don't have a right to feel down
about this because People in the
424
:world have it way worse than I do.
425
:So I think
426
:that also is feeding it fed into this.
427
:Alexandra: Like it's, you know,
Oh, I'm, it can't be that bad.
428
:Right.
429
:When I'm experiencing can't be that bad.
430
:I'm just making it worse
in my mind or something.
431
:Um,
432
:Christine: I'm feeling is valid.
433
:I sometimes catch myself saying am I
crazy to if I'm venting to a friend or
434
:I'm talking to my mom about something
and I'm like, is what I'm saying crazy?
435
:Am I overreacting or is this all so,
you know, there's also that element
436
:of trusting myself and, it's really
interesting to sit and reflect
437
:on how all of these are connected
and how they feed into each other.
438
:Alexandra: yeah.
439
:So it's interesting cause it's not
necessarily tied to people pleasing,
440
:but even with myself feeling like
having such a standard or expectation
441
:that I have to live up to, whether
it's accomplishing it to do it.
442
:To do list or something today.
443
:I woke up and I was thinking, I'm
going to get this, you know, XYZ
444
:done and it's going to be great.
445
:I'm going to get all these
things checked off my list.
446
:And I woke up, you know, fairly early
for most people, a little bit later
447
:than I normally do during the week.
448
:But.
449
:You know, I stayed in bed and I
binge watched a couple episodes
450
:of a show and turn around and it's
10, 10 AM and that's late for me.
451
:And I'm going, Oh my gosh, I felt so
guilty for taking time for myself just to
452
:do nothing or something that made me happy
thinking I'm like, I need, I didn't get,
453
:you know, stuff for our podcast done or,
you know, As soon as I wanted to do things
454
:that needed to get done around the house.
455
:And so then it's sitting there going,
Oh my gosh, I haven't done something.
456
:Somebody is going to say something and
go, why haven't you done or where is X?
457
:So that's also quite a lot that I, you
know, it eats up a lot of mental space
458
:and actual time worrying about that.
459
:So with that said, Christine.
460
:Do you have any tools to help with
recovering from people pleasing
461
:and getting to a place where we're
being okay, being misunderstood,
462
:or at least not feeling responsible
for making people pick us?
463
:Christine: you know, it's interesting.
464
:I wish I had a tool belt to
pull out and suggest and things
465
:to suggest on this matter.
466
:But really, it's just taken me a
long time to get to this point.
467
:And I think, you know, in talking
with, you know, My parents and
468
:people who are older than me who
are only just discovering are going
469
:through a similar journey now and
they're in their 40s, 50s, 60s.
470
:To be doing this in my late 20s, I think
I'm ahead of the curve a little bit
471
:perhaps, but you know, it's I got to a
point where I really was like, you got
472
:to do the work, you got to stop and think
and push yourself to try and understand
473
:why you're operating the way you are.
474
:For me, it took being, finding
yourself in a toxic work environment
475
:to finally do the self reflection
that I needed to start doing.
476
:And it's not to say that I've done
it and I'm cured because I I will
477
:say I'm a recovering people pleaser.
478
:Cause you know, sometimes I
slip back into it, but I think,
479
:you know,
480
:Alexandra: unconsciously.
481
:Christine: right.
482
:Right.
483
:I think the key, I, the key thing
to remember and something I've
484
:found helpful is to be kind to
yourself, give yourself grace.
485
:Don't beat yourself up when you find
yourself in a situation and you're like,
486
:wow, I could have avoided this if only
And just remember your work in progress.
487
:I think that a lot of people around you
can relate to the experiences you're
488
:having or what you're going through.
489
:So reach out and find a close friend or
somebody you can talk to about it too.
490
:I think those are a couple of things.
491
:A couple things I would suggest.
492
:So, yeah.
493
:How about you?
494
:Alexandra: I'm
495
:Christine: What do
496
:you think.
497
:on what I said?
498
:Does that make sense?
499
:Alexandra: No, it does make sense.
500
:And like you said, we're
all a work in progress.
501
:And I think part of me, it is getting
down and just doing the work on myself.
502
:You know, it's, I can't always be
envious or wish I were like other
503
:people who don't seem to care as much
whether or not they do understanding
504
:that is my perspective of somebody.
505
:And You know, but that takes for them.
506
:It may be easy.
507
:It may not be, but for me, it would
take work and it takes practice.
508
:So to keep, you know, working
on myself and doing that
509
:Christine: Yeah.
510
:Alexandra: Thing
511
:that I think I heard recommended in like a
YouTube video or something I was watching
512
:and it was called the disease to please.
513
:It's a book written by
514
:Harriet Breaker.
515
:I think she's a PhD.
516
:I actually didn't get a chance to.
517
:really started before we
recorded this episode.
518
:I think I've listened maybe
to like the introduction and
519
:part of the first chapter.
520
:So I think that's maybe something
to understand the different
521
:types of people pleasing and
what the motivation is behind it.
522
:As part of just working on myself of
okay, you know, do I think the book is
523
:going to fix my, all my problems and go.
524
:You're cured.
525
:I'm like, no, but it may give me tools
to rationalize and understand why I
526
:behave the way I do that it can then
identify that when it's happening in the
527
:moment going, Oh, hey, I'm doing this.
528
:I don't have to respond
to the way I normally do.
529
:I can do something else.
530
:So maybe we'll keep people posted on if we
read the book and what our thoughts are,
531
:but yeah, and it's interesting.
532
:I know I've talked about Louise
Hay's work on the show before and
533
:sayings and mantras, but I love her
stuff and kind of makes me think of.
534
:You know, affirmations to take
care of myself and, you know, that
535
:it's okay to put myself first.
536
:I think that's a big thing.
537
:I have to get over feeling guilty
538
:of taking time for myself.
539
:So I think that's a big thing,
a tool I can work on for myself.
540
:But yeah, what you said did make sense for
me and hopefully for others listening too.
541
:Christine: That's
542
:Alexandra: You weren't crazy.
543
:You weren't overreacting,
544
:Christine: cool.
545
:I think, yeah.
546
:Sometimes I find myself saying,
like, why does it always have
547
:to be so much work to exist?
548
:But you know,
549
:it's true.
550
:It's a lot of people, maybe I find myself
sometimes wondering why isn't there like
551
:a simple answer to these complex issues?
552
:And.
553
:I think it's because we're sold
use this, it'll do this for you or
554
:it'll fix your problem in this area.
555
:So that mentality has sort of warped
our grasp on reality sometimes
556
:when it comes to these situations.
557
:And I don't think there's ever going
to be a time where I'm not going to
558
:struggle with people pleasing or being.
559
:Cured, quote unquote, but you
know, that's because you're just
560
:continuously growing and evolving and,
561
:Alexandra: Right.
562
:And I think it's kind of, I don't know,
Christina, if you've experienced this,
563
:but maybe think of why is it not simple?
564
:And I think other people, when they give
advice, like to say it's simple and it
565
:may be simple, but implementing that
it's not necessarily simple or easy.
566
:So it's funny, you know,
that I care too much.
567
:I overthink things or something
and, you know, I'll be talking
568
:to my mom or other people and I'm
like, gosh, that was ages ago.
569
:Just let it go.
570
:I was I don't want to go if it
was easy for me to let it go.
571
:I would have
572
:Christine: Yes.
573
:It's
574
:interesting.
575
:And we keep saying
interesting, I've noticed.
576
:I think we should have a counter
of how many times you said the
577
:word interesting today, but,
578
:Alexandra: Does anyone who's listening
want to tell us a count and just
579
:leave us a comment send us a DM
580
:Christine: I don't want to say it's
interesting again, but when I, sometimes
581
:I catch myself wondering, like,
why am I still thinking about this?
582
:Why is this still this weird
thing that happened two years ago?
583
:Like, why am I still feeling
embarrassed about it?
584
:Or whatever the case or the
situation may have been.
585
:I'm like, why are you, why am I still
giving this any sort of energy or thought?
586
:Alexandra: Or from when
you were seven in my case,
587
:Christine: sure.
588
:Yeah.
589
:Alexandra: hold on to things way
too long, but I agree, Christine.
590
:Yeah.
591
:And you kind of go, why is
this still sticking around?
592
:Christine: And I don't know if I have
an answer for that, but maybe, you
593
:know, The next time it happens to
me, I'll sit with that for a minute
594
:and be like, let's follow this.
595
:Why did this come up
for me in this moment?
596
:What has happened that
brought this to mind?
597
:Or if I'm just cleaning the dishes and
this weird thing pops into my head from
598
:five years ago and this awkward encounter,
like, why is this coming up now?
599
:Who knows?
600
:But I would think it's,
there's some reason for it.
601
:Who, but
602
:maybe there isn't, I don't,
I'm not educated enough to
603
:talk on the matter per se, but
604
:I don't know,
605
:food for thought.
606
:I don't know if anybody
else relates to that.
607
:Like
608
:Alexandra: and
609
:Christine: and I do.
610
:Alexandra: anyone is listening and
you do have some tools that can
611
:help your fellow recovering people,
pleasers, please share with us because
612
:Christine: I'll take all the
613
:Alexandra: Clearly we need help.
614
:Christine: Yeah.
615
:I, we were reviewing the the flow for
this episode and I said, and we came
616
:to this section and Alexandra read
the question off and I was like, what
617
:if I don't have any tools to share?
618
:And she's that's okay.
619
:That's an okay.
620
:That's an answer.
621
:And that's true.
622
:I don't I have the experience I've
had that I have had, and that sort
623
:of has spurred my own personal
growth in this area, but I'm still
624
:very much a work in progress.
625
:And I have to revisit this with
you all and sort of see how I,
626
:how far I've come from this point.
627
:Alexandra: right.
628
:Christine: I think this is a great
opportunity maybe to speak more
629
:on how we feel we are recovering.
630
:Alexandra, how do you feel
like we're recovering?
631
:Alexandra: Hmm.
632
:Christine: Recovering?
633
:Alexandra: I think we're
limping along the recovery road.
634
:If I'm honest
635
:it
636
:Christine: Inch by
637
:Alexandra: that might be even too speedy.
638
:You know, cause it's something I talk
about in, you know, therapy too, of but
639
:I mentioned, Something happening when I
was seven, still impacting me and a huge
640
:part of feeling the need to over explain
myself, to, to lessen what I think or
641
:feel to make other people feel better.
642
:I mean, still to this day, and
it's like, why can't I let the go?
643
:And it's almost on par with
things that would happen a
644
:couple months ago or something.
645
:So, how are we recovering?
646
:Still working on it.
647
:But
648
:Christine: this conversation
here is a pretty big step because
649
:Alexandra: that's
650
:Christine: it's forcing us to
651
:confront a lot of things.
652
:Alexandra: quite public.
653
:So, everyone here is my
accountability partner.
654
:You're my accountability partners for
my road to recovery, but yeah not fast.
655
:It is quite slow and it feels like
one of those things where it's almost,
656
:okay, I'm making steps forward.
657
:Okay.
658
:I feel like I'm progressing
two steps forward.
659
:And then it's no.
660
:back and you're like, what the heck.
661
:And then you're like, okay, I'm
going forward to going forward.
662
:And I made 12 steps forward.
663
:And then it's like 10 back.
664
:You're like, okay, I would just like
to make some progress continuing in
665
:a linear, some progress continuing
in a linear fashion, please.
666
:But yeah, that's where I am.
667
:Christine, How are you on limping down
668
:Christine: in this
669
:moment, I don't know.
670
:This is sort of taking
me down a wormhole here.
671
:How am I recovering?
672
:I'm doing, I, hey, all things
considered, I'm doing pretty well.
673
:I've, I've pulled myself out of the
toxic situation I was in, took some
674
:time off to do some self reflection.
675
:I've started a new job, which I
feel has evolved significantly
676
:since I first started in December.
677
:And I'm building back my confidence
in myself and being okay.
678
:With.
679
:uncomfortability when it comes
to works in work situations.
680
:Having an what in my mind I'm
perceiving to be an uncomfortable
681
:conversation and not taking the easy
way out and just suffering in silence.
682
:Because You know, I need to be able to,
683
:it's way easier for me to stick up
for people I love, but sticking up for
684
:myself, I don't know, I don't know why
it's always been a place I struggled,
685
:but I feel like this, these past few
months, I have definitely have been
686
:making the conscious effort to do that.
687
:So that in itself, I think is a big step
688
:forward in, in this recovery process.
689
:Alexandra: Yeah.
690
:That's funny because I don't think
either of us have said we totally love
691
:who we are and are confident in that.
692
:Christine: I love
693
:parts of
694
:myself, I definitely,
695
:Alexandra: But do you love
the whole of you all the time?
696
:Christine: Does anybody,
697
:Alexandra: I don't know.
698
:But I feel like, shouldn't we
feel that a majority of the time?
699
:Christine: That's an interesting question.
700
:I don't
701
:Alexandra: Cause, I don't know about
you, Christine, but sometimes I feel like
702
:I take other people's value of me to you.
703
:Make that who I am.
704
:So that's really fed into I have to do
things that'll make other ha make others
705
:happy or Make them happy with me and that
will be like my value and love for myself
706
:Like it feeds that part of me that
I'm missing because I don't give that
707
:to myself Which yes, I am working on.
708
:Christine: Yeah.
709
:Alexandra: Or maybe that's just
me and that doesn't make sense.
710
:So that's
711
:Christine: No it does.
712
:I'm just sort of, I'm I'm, I think
I'm gonna sit with that and think
713
:about that a little bit more.
714
:I uh, I don't know.
715
:Yeah, just taking it one day at
a time and remembering to be kind
716
:to myself is something I try to,
you know, keep with me every day.
717
:And maybe like embracing,
embracing the moments when you are
718
:misunderstood and Not falling into
the need to overt, to overexplain,
719
:to try and make someone else feel.
720
:Cause I don't know if ever I've left a
situation where I've overexplained in
721
:an effort to make sure they understood
where I was coming from feeling
722
:better.
723
:I don't think I ever leave that
situation feeling good, because
724
:you expel so much energy and
725
:It's for
726
:what?
727
:Alexandra: And it's unsatisfying.
728
:Christine: yeah, it is.
729
:And as long, as I said earlier, as
long as I feel as I've done, I've
730
:shared my thoughts, feelings, and
opinions on whatever I've shared my
731
:thoughts, feelings, and opinions on
whatever Clearly that I feel like,
732
:yeah, I understand what I'm saying.
733
:If they don't, that's their problem.
734
:That's just something I hope to
still be okay with going forward.
735
:Alexandra: think you would ever truly
be okay with being misunderstood?
736
:But
737
:Christine: probably not.
738
:In this moment I want to say no.
739
:I think it's also situation dependent.
740
:like I said earlier, you know, if it's,
if there's a misunderstanding between
741
:one of my best friends or my sisters,
you know, those relationships I value
742
:so deeply that I want to Like for me,
that's worth the effort to work through.
743
:And
744
:Alexandra: what about if it wasn't them?
745
:Christine: it wasn't
746
:them.
747
:Alexandra: somebody at work or
somebody you, a new acquaintance
748
:that you don't know very well?
749
:Christine: See, work's tricky too.
750
:I don't know if I could ever be okay
with being misunderstood in a situation
751
:of like where I'm working because I put
so much of myself in what I do and I
752
:care so much about what I do that if it
would be hard to be okay with that being.
753
:I don't know if I would equate that to
not being appreciated or, I don't know.
754
:I think, I don't know if,
to answer your question, no.
755
:Simply put, I don't know if I could ever
truly be okay with being misunderstood.
756
:Alexandra: Do you think you
could let go of the burden of
757
:needing to over explain yourself?
758
:Christine: oh yeah, I
think I could do that.
759
:Because it would be, I feel
like that would be so freeing.
760
:What do you
761
:think?
762
:Would you be okay?
763
:Would you ever truly be okay
with being misunderstood?
764
:Alexandra: I want to say yes,
but right now that is just so.
765
:foreign to me, right?
766
:Because I overthink things way too much.
767
:I think I wish I was like people who
can just say something and don't seem
768
:to regret it or overthink what they say.
769
:And they're like, if you
don't like it, who cares?
770
:So,
771
:Christine: I have a quick story
I want to share after that
772
:what you just said prompted me.
773
:To remember.
774
:Alexandra: So in the future, I would
like to believe that I could truly be
775
:okay being misunderstood, not family or
people who I find important to me, right?
776
:Other people, yeah, why not?
777
:But right now, no.
778
:So, Christine, if you had
a story that you wanted to
779
:Christine: Well, it's so funny.
780
:It's something you just said
prompted this time I was, we were
781
:all together, my family it was
for my sister, Nicole's birthday.
782
:Her friends were, we were all together.
783
:She has this one friend who cracks me up.
784
:She's the type of person who just
like something pops in her head and it
785
:immediately comes out of her mouth and
it makes, it cracks me up every time.
786
:And I just, I think I said something
to the effect of I wish I was the
787
:type of person who could just say what
she's thinking without overthinking it.
788
:I don't think I fully, I
didn't say overthinking it.
789
:I think I said I wish I was the type
of person who just Opens says whatever
790
:she's thinking, and her friend turns
to me and she's Christine, you can.
791
:It's really easy.
792
:Just say it.
793
:And I was like, it's that situation
of, oh, I guess it is easy, but
794
:maybe it's, the concept of what's
easy for one person versus another
795
:can be very different, but you know,
796
:Alexandra: Maybe we
start in small scenarios.
797
:Christine: right.
798
:Alexandra: Unimportant conversations,
799
:an interaction at the grocery store, and
if we say something, we just let it go.
800
:Christine: it's also to that, to,
to that effect of who I'm around.
801
:If I'm around people I know and don't
have necessarily any sort of guard up.
802
:I don't know if guard up's
the right word, but I feel
803
:comfortable around certain people.
804
:I just say whatever comes to mind.
805
:But in other situations,
this, I love her so much.
806
:My sister's friend.
807
:She just, whatever situation she's
in, if she's meeting somebody for the
808
:first time, she says what she thinks.
809
:I don't know if she's even
thought, sometimes stopped to
810
:think about what she's saying.
811
:There's been some pretty funny one
liners come out of her, but I don't know.
812
:Yeah.
813
:Alexandra: And that's kind of the
place I'd love to get more too, right?
814
:Of just being, not that I want to
be hurtful or harmful with what I
815
:say or how I express myself, because
I don't think that's okay, but
816
:not
817
:meaning what I say, if that makes sense.
818
:So I can say something and sometimes
there's the sugarcoating it.
819
:And there's, I think a
fine line in there, right?
820
:Of You know, if Christine came to me
like, how do these pants make me look?
821
:And I, you know, it would probably
not be a great thing to say.
822
:Well, those pants make your butt
look really big and the cut's not
823
:flattering for your shoes or something.
824
:Not the best I could have done, right?
825
:I could be saying, you know what?
826
:Don't really think that
one's the best pair for you.
827
:Why don't you try on something else?
828
:But, You know, I feel like that's
kindness, but then there would be
829
:the, Oh, well, it's okay, but you
know, maybe if you paired it with
830
:something else, it would, you know, I
feel like that's one over explaining,
831
:but also not being totally honest
and it's not saying what you mean.
832
:So I think that was a very broad example.
833
:And no, Christine has not asked me what
her pants look But that's something too,
834
:is being more authentic in what I say.
835
:It's like meaning what I say,
not what I think people, what I
836
:think people think I should say.
837
:Yes, I think that was right.
838
:So being a bit more honest in my
communication, I feel like might be the
839
:first step for me to get to that point of,
I think it, it just comes out of my mouth.
840
:I think therefore I say.
841
:Christine: For sure.
842
:Yeah.
843
:This episode has left me it's so funny
when we enter these conversations together
844
:I think, I feel like I know where I
stand, but then we come to the end of
845
:our conversation and I'm like, I don't
think I, I've gone on quite the journey.
846
:I don't know if I've, if I'm, am
where I was how, when we first started
847
:talking about this, but yeah, this
is I feel like there's so much more
848
:to this topic that I need to explore
more and would love to chat more
849
:about this again in the future, but.
850
:Alexandra: Yeah,
851
:Christine: For those listening,
would you ever truly be okay
852
:with being misunderstood?
853
:Are you like Alexander and I
where we hope to one day, but I
854
:personally don't think I ever will.
855
:And, but who knows, I'd
like to prove myself wrong.
856
:We want to know we'd
love to hear from you.
857
:Alexandra: right.
858
:And if you have made that
transformation from people
859
:pleasing to being misunderstood,
860
:we would love to hear how you did that.
861
:So,
862
:Christine: might have to have you
on and ask you all the questions.
863
:Alexandra: If you have done
that, definitely DMS, and we
864
:would love to chat with you.
865
:So Christine, if you
have any less thoughts,
866
:Christine: No, I just, I'll leave
leave us all with this thought.
867
:If you are recovering people,
please are like myself.
868
:You're not alone.
869
:You have a friend in me and.
870
:If you would love to chat with you
more about it and maybe we'll help
871
:each other on this recovery journey.
872
:Alexandra: All right.
873
:And there you have it, friends.
874
:Misunderstandings are an inevitable
part of our lives, but they
875
:are not our burden to bear.
876
:As we have journeyed through
the tales of people pleasing and
877
:the empowering steps Somewhat.
878
:Towards self acceptance, remember
that it is okay to be misunderstood.
879
:It is not our responsibility to
make everyone see us clearly.
880
:Sometimes the magic lies in the mystery.
881
:So embrace those moments
of miscommunication as
882
:part of your evolution.
883
:Let them be the unexpected
lines in your life story.
884
:Thank you for joining us on
the mirror project today.
885
:Next week, we'll be diving into
the world of yoga with a very
886
:special guest, Victoria Christina.
887
:Until then, keep reflecting and growing,
being beautifully misunderstood.
888
:Christine: Are you enjoying the
banter and insights we're serving up?
889
:If so, consider tossing some support our
way through our buy us a coffee page.
890
:Every bit helps in fueling
this passion project of ours.
891
:Find the link in our show
notes or visit our link tree.
892
:We're immensely grateful
for your generosity.
893
:we wrap up, remember to hit that
like subscribe or follow button
894
:on your preferred platform.
895
:Until next time, let's keep
the conversation going.
896
:We'll catch on the next episode