‘Want to take a people pleaser test to know the difference between kindness and people-pleasing behavior?

Kindness is always good. If people target you for bullying and you maintain your kindness, this is even better and shows your strength of character. However, two many people confuse kindness with people-pleasing behavior. This people pleasing test will help you to know the difference.

In this post, you will learn how to distinguish between kindness and people-pleasing acts.

Once you learn the difference between the two, you will be able to extend your kindness only to those who are worthy of it, those who reciprocate the same to you. Moreover, it will help you to better protect yourself from people who take your kindness for weakness.

This post is all about taking the people pleaser test to determine if people are likely to respect your kindness or expect it.

Introducing, The People PLeaser Test

Many people, especially targets of bullying, will have an overwhelming urge to people-please. This is not to say that they’re bad people for doing it. However, it is unhealthy because what these targets are doing is not only counterproductive, it’s self-destructive.

4 Signs YOu’re A People-Pleaser

1. You Extend Kindness and Do for Others Out of fear of being harmed and for self-preservation.

The fear of being harmed is the most common motivator here. Moreover, it’s natural for people to do things against their own wishes and at the behest of an entity more powerful to save themselves from harm. It’s a survival mechanism.

The sad thing is that, though the behavior may protect them for the time being, it will not keep bullies from hurting them later on, down the road. So, does people-pleasing behavior actually work? No.

Consequently, what it does is bring about more bullying. It also entices bystanders who witness it to begin using and abusing you also. Why? Because, if the bullies are doing it and getting the benefits from it, then why shouldn’t they do it too and get those same benefits?

This is what most bystanders will think.

Therefore, you should say no when you don’t want to do something and reserve your kindness to those who return it. Those are the people who deserve it.

“Oh, but they’ll hurt me!” or “They’ll bully me even worse!”

They’re going to do that anyway, if they don’t already. So, why waste your time trying to appease those you can never appease?

2. People Pleaser Test: You do Your Good Deeds Out of A desire for approval and to be liked.

First off, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be liked. It’s a natural, hardwired human need that we all have. However, the problem comes when that’s all you focus on.

Targets of bullying want to be likeable because they think it will protect them and keep them safe. Again, nothing wrong with it. As I stated earlier, it only does the opposite.

Another sad thing is that victims think that the only way to likeability is to be agreeable with everyone. The problem is that you can never be agreeable one hundred percent of the time. It’s just not humanly possible.

Moreover, being too agreeable can have the opposite results of what you’re aiming for. Being too agreeable can cause you to lose respect and for others to see you as a pushover! Yikes!

There are times when it just isn’t smart to be “likeable.” Sometimes you must, in a sense, kick a little bit of booty.

So, how do you train your brain to avoid this behavior?

You start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Do you do it to get approval and be liked?

2. Is your people-pleasing a way to get others to validate you?

3. Do you people-please because you feel you need to prove your worth to people?

4. Do you do it because you want to be accepted or included?

5. Are you attracting users and abusers by this behavior?

6. Are you doing it out of fear?

This is how you’ll get your answer.

There’s nothing wrong with being good to people and helping them out. However, you can do it for the wrong reasons. As a result, you can find yourself getting the opposite of what you want out of it.

For instance, you may attract those who only use and abuse you. Understand that bullies and other such unsavory people will sniff you out. And they’ll use you for their own ends. Therefore, this is why people-pleasing is never good.

3. You Extend Kindness to Prove Your Worth.

Understand this, you don’t have to prove your worth to anyone. Worth doesn’t have to be proven. If it’s there, it’s there. People may or may not see it, but it’s still there. It’s up to you to feel worthy.

Your worth is like the wind. You can’t see the wind with your eyes when it blows, but it’s there because you can feel it. Therefore, you see the wind by feeling it.

It’s the same with your worth. See your worth by feeling worthy. Only you can determine what your worth is. Others may think that they can decide it but they can’t. Self-worth always comes from within, never from without.

Therefore, stop trying to prove yourself. Stop bending yourself into a pretzel to seek approval. Decide right now that you don’t need approval from others, especially those who use and abuse you. Their approval, you absolutely DO NOT need. Screw ’em!

4. You Feel Like No One Appreciates you.

If ever you feel like no one appreciates the efforts you go to to make them comfortable, this is how you’ll know to begin making changes. Therefore, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do these people treat me with respect?

If they disrespect you, it’s time to cut these people out of your life for good!

2. Are these people only nice to me when they want something?

This is a huge red flag here. Anytime someone is only nice when they need something from you, it’s a sign that you should get rid of this person.

3. Do they return the favor sometimes?

Give and take, 50-50, is not required. Also, it’s an impossibility. In the best of relationships and friendships, there will be times when you will give more and the other party will give less. On the other hand, the time will come when they give more and you’ll give less.

Therefore, this is not to say that you should constantly keep score. Keeping score is just as bad. However, if they use and abuse you, you might want to reconsider even having those types of people around. Period.

Undue Value and Worth

Basic human value is one thing. Every human being on earth in entitled to basic human value. However, anything above that, they must earn. Worth is not something you should ever give away freely.

Never give your bullies or anyone who abuses or uses you anything they haven’t earned from you. And that includes your respect, your time, your friendship, and your consideration.

In short, never give anyone anything that isn’t reciprocated. For instance, if you’re polite to someone and they take that for weakness and treat you like dirt, then you should drop this person like a bad habit!

You don’t have to treat them like crap, but you don’t have to have anymore to do with them either. Again, you shouldn’t care about trying to please people who judge you and who hate you, because it’s a waste of time.

No. It won’t be easy to rewire your brain and break this bad habit. Learned behavior is not only difficult to change, but it takes time, sometimes years. However, it can be done.

People Pleaser Test: It’s Not ABout The Acts of Kindness, It’s the Motivation Behind Them.

This test doesn’t require you to examine your good deeds. However, it does suggest examining your motives for doing so. This is how you find out whether you do your good out of kindness or an impulse to please people.

So, stop trying to seek approval from these people. Cease trying to be friends with them. Stop wasting so much for your precious energy on people who aren’t worth your consideration.

Remember, they hate you. And to bend over backwards trying to prove yourself to them and get their approval is a waste of your time and energy. They’re just aren’t worth it.

How you put a stop to this is to simply stop overextending yourself, especially for those who don’t appreciate you and don’t care. It’s that simple.

You prioritize your needs and begin meeting your needs first. Others can wait. That is, unless they’re your sick, elder mother or your six-month-old baby who needs you. But, you get the point.

The people who use and abuse you do not deserve one nano second of your time and aren’t even worth your consideration.

You’re worth more than they know and you deserve better.

This post was all about the people pleaser test to help you make your needs a priority and to cut off those who use your good deeds to use you.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. How to Stop Being a People Pleaser: 5 Powerful Steps

2. Setting Boundaries: 3 Powerful Practices to Hold Your Ground

3. Putting Yourself First: 7 Powerful Self-Care Practices

4. Asserting Boundaries: The Pros Outweigh the Cons

5. How to Stop Being Too Nice: 5 Powerful Changes that Win Respect