Be Nice

by Grace Lee (CA, USA)

My drawing depicts the experience of what it feels like to be a people pleaser. Growing up, I often felt like I needed to agree to every favor or request from other people in order to be seen as “nice” and make friends. It was hard for me to set boundaries, even when I felt overwhelmed or uncomfortable. It felt like every request was like the pressure of a knife being held at me and that I needed to agree to be liked and not hurt. Overtime, I have grown to prioritize my own decisions, however, learning to say “no” for people pleasers is difficult and requires understanding from others.