"To be great is to be misunderstood."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ever feel like every time you talk, something you say or do is taken out of context or interpreted wrong?

And you think to yourself…

Maybe I could have done something differently. Or how could I have gotten my point across clearer? Did I offend them? Are they mad at me?

Whatever is going through your mind, it’s there.

The nagging feeling that you are being misunderstood.

It can feel so lonely and isolating, and the more it happens, the more likely it is that you respond by doing one or a combination of these things:

1. React with frustration
2. Get defensive
3. Withdrawal from the conversation or the person entirely
4. Seek validation by asking questions like, “Does that make sense?” for assurance the message is being understood correctly.
5. Overexplain yourself

…Or the worst response of them all - you resort to people pleasing out of a desire to gain approval & avoid conflict.

I’ve been there too - a people pleaser trying to gain approval by being everything expected of me out of fear of being misunderstood.

But here’s what I’ve learned: When we step into our true, authentic selves, being misunderstood is inevitable. It’s also none of our business how others perceive us because it is completely out of our control. Anyone’s opinion worth caring about will ask for clarification if there’s confusion.

Coming to terms with the fact that people will misunderstand us is hard to swallow, especially if we’ve been trying to gain love and acceptance for most of our lives. I get this. But...

When we let the perception of others seep into how we view ourselves, we’ve lost our power and the essence of who we are, and that’s a bigger hurdle to overcome than being misunderstood.

So, the real reason you might feel misunderstood often stems from a lack of self-awareness and poor self-worth because when you know who you are and what you stand for, how others perceive you starts to matter less and less.

So the next time you begin to feel misunderstood, let that be a nudge to reground yourself to the most authentic version of you.

Life’s SO much better when you have a greater sense of self.

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xo,

Michele

P.S. If self-awareness is an area you struggle with, shoot me an email, and we can set up a complimentary call. I’d love the opportunity to help you in any way I can!

Michele Mendoza

Personal Development Expert | Writer | Life Coach

My specialty: Helping moms step into their hidden power, heal emotional wounds & discover true happiness so that they can build the life they deserve & the connections they crave.

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