People Pleasers, why do you have trouble being direct or have trouble saying no?

I think its root cause is simple. We were raised in environments (esp inside the home) where we were harshly punished and/or rejected for being direct and saying no. Imagine growing up in a world where you always have to disguise your true feelings out of fear of the consequences. Imagine still carrying that core belief as an adult. It makes for poor interpersonal skills.

But that’s no excuse for that behavior, which is why I’m working on it. It’s hard, but necessary. People pleasing is a much more subtle form of manipulation, and I want to be a healthy adult in healthy relationships. I hope that explains it.