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As much as I know I can’t please everyone, I still try. I’ve agonized over whether people liked me, whether I offended them, whether they hated me—and why (or what I could do to change their mind about me). It’s a classic Type 9, people pleaser tendency. I’ve been working on letting go; realizing I can only do so much, and if somebody dislikes me for a random reason (say, how I look or talk or my love of kitschy accessories), it’s probably a reflection of something deeper going on with them.
Anne Hathaway knows this better than many. For years, she dealt with “Hathahaters,” who seemed to hate her simply because…she existed? She was earnest about her ambition and acting career? She has a face? In the November 2022 issue of Elle, Hathaway spoke about this directly, offering an empowering insight we could all borrow:
I have worked too hard on seeing myself with kinder eyes to give away my peace to those who haven’t found it for themselves yet. So I do my best to not be afraid of what others might say and just focus on enjoying my life.
-Anne Hathaway
I loved that perspective of seeing stressing over what people may say or think as ‘giving away your peace,’ because that’s exactly what’s happening. You’re trading contentment for worry, growing anxious over something you can’t control. (Often, it seems like someone who’s bothered by what another person’s achieving is really just frustrated with the lack of traction in their own lives, so again, it’s less about you—even if you’re the one they’re complaining about—and more about their unfulfilled dreams.)
Something to consider as you head into the week.
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Lead photo: The Devil Wears Prada/Fox 2000 Pictures
