The “Good Girl” Glitch: Why Following the Rules Led to Burnout
The Manual I Was Given In my teens and 20s, I lived by a manual I thought was universal. I had the aspirations, the goals, and a bone-deep commitment to the "script." The script was simple: Get the grades. Have the "decent" hobbies. Be polite. Stay calm, even when the world around you is in turmoil. I thought dedication was the engine, but I eventually realized the engine was running on a myth. I was optimizing for a system that doesn't actually exist in the adult world. I had high marks, but no "expandable" skills. I had a "good girl" reputation, but no internal compass. Calmness, By: Varsha Govindarajan, 4th Dec 2016 The Error Code: Resentment The harm of "being good" is silent. It builds up as resentment when you realize that doing everything "right", as taught by parents, teachers, and society; doesn’t actually trigger a reward. I went out of my way to ensure everyone around me was happy. I was the architect of their...