This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Jennifer here —
All my life I have been a people pleaser. It is something I have dealt with since I was about 13. My mom was one of those women who was extremely hard on her children, pushing us to always be better, do better, and act better than I was being or doing. Because of that, I strived to always make sure whatever I was trying to accomplish was met with appreciation. If someone voiced that they didn’t like what I was doing, regardless if I liked what I was doing or not, I would change it. The problem was that this made me completely miserable.
I have strived most of my life to be everything that everyone needs me to be.
Even as a blogger, I find myself comparing my blog and what I do to every other blogger I come in contact with. I think, “Oh — I can be like her. She has great traffic and is making lots of money with her blog.” Then the moment I try to start doing that, the miserable feeling sets in again. Have you ever been like that?
When You Finally See the Light
Recently, I finally came to the realization that I cannot be and do everything everyone wants me to be anymore. I am unique, and I was made unique. My blog and my writing are unique. I started praying and talking to God and asking Him what He wanted for my life — and it was through those moments that He whispered to me, “Just be who I created you to be. You don’t have to be like anybody else. I love you just as you are. Just be happy with who I created.”
From that moment, it was like the chains of perfectionism and people pleasing fell off of me and I started living a different life. I am happier and joyous now because I am not striving to be anyone other than the person God made me to be. I am finally living in His freedom — freedom to love myself, to love what He has called me to do, and the ability to really like myself!
You Have That Permission Too!
Do you struggle with the things that I shared above — perfectionism, people pleasing, or just trying to be someone you are not? I give you permission to just let go — learn how to freefall into a new freeing mindset. I have the perfect tool to help you do just that!
About the book:
Women today are fading. In a female culture built on Photoshopped perfection and Pinterest fantasies, we’ve lost the ability to dream our own big dreams. So busy trying to do it all and have it all, we’ve missed the life we were really designed for. And we are paying the price. The rise of loneliness, depression, and anxiety among the female population in Western cultures is at an all-time high. Overall, women are two and a half times more likely to take antidepressants than men. What is it about our culture, the expectations, and our way of life that is breaking women down in unprecedented ways?
In this vulnerable memoir of transformation, Rebekah Lyons shares her journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to the heart of Manhattan, where she found herself blindsided by crippling depression and anxiety. Overwhelmed by the pressure to be domestically efficient, professionally astute, and physically attractive, Rebekah finally realized that freedom can come only by facing our greatest fears and fully surrendering to God’s call on our lives. This book is an invitation for all women to take that first step toward freedom. For it is only when we free-fall that we can truly fly.
Watch this video from Author Rebekah Lyons
Wouldn’t you like to freefall today, so you can learn how to fly again?
This post is part of a promotional Campaign for the book Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons. This book is now available for purchase. All opinions listed are our own.
Ida Mae West-Simone ( says
Wow Jennifer, can I ever relate to your post. What you say about women and perfectionism is so true. I am one of those ‘type A’ types, and have spent the past ten to fifteen years trying to let go of a lot of that. Some of us are born hard-wired that way, and environmental factors just seem to egg us on. And it is a growing problem for girls and women especially today. Great post. Thank you for sharing these resources. I’ll be passing them along.