If you're a hygienist, chances are you're a people pleaser

It's just how we are, right? Always looking at making everybody else lives easier, everybodys lives but our own. We want to please others with good intentions, but sometimes it gets a little out of hand. Don't feel bad or guilty. Read through these and give yourself some grace as you identify some areas you can work on.

Here are 3 signs your a people pleaser.

Sign #1 - When you see a patient or loved one upset, you feel it is your responsibility to make them feel better. All you want is for them to be happy, right? That sounds so well-intended, but unfortunately, this can get us into a pickle. Trying to please others takes a lot of our own energy and time away from us. Allowing somebody to learn how to handle their own feelings has benefits! Think of a baby chick needing to learn how to build up the strength to peck themselves out of their shell. It has to happen to ensure the baby chick has the strength to survive on the outside of the shell.

Sign #2 - The work you do for others goes unnoticed, and you are burned out. Being in a caregiver role requires managing tasks that run in the background and can easily be over looked. It is a basic human need to feel appreciated. But you may not get this from your patients or loved ones.

There are other ways to meet this need for appreciation.

Sign #3 - You tend to "go with the flow" and do what other people want to do. It's nice being an easy going person, but without first knowing what you want and value, this can cause lack of connection and bring up feelings of resentment in a relationship. You may even have loss a sense of yourself. Not really knowing what you like or don't like. This tends to lead to anger causing more stress for you in how you show up in relationships.

There is a way to still "go with the flow" while setting boundaries for yourself.

Learning to show love and compassion without feeling the need to make somebody feel better is the goal. The next time you find yourself wanting to help somebody feel better, catch yourself and think about why you are doing what you're doing. Is there another way you can feel appreciated or still "go with the flow"?