You’re smiling so hard your molars have filed for workers’ comp, nodding at a dinner you didn’t want to attend, with people you don’t particularly like, eating food that tastes like cardboard with dreams. Why? Because you didn’t want to upset anyone. Congratulations—you’re officially the emotional doormat of your own life. Welcome to the club. We meet every Tuesday and apologize for existing. But don’t worry. We're about to rewrite that script, and yes—Chanakya is co-writing the new draft. He was too busy pulling the strings behind empires, sipping metaphorical tea, and burning bridges like they were scented candles.

1. You’re Not a Discount Therapist. Stop Acting Like One.
Look, your friend’s third breakup this month is not your responsibility. Unless your name is Freud or you’re being paid in either dollars or diamonds, you don’t owe anyone 2 a.m. pep talks about Chad-who-never-changed. Chanakya once said, “He who gives up what is imperishable for what is perishable, loses both.” Translation: Stop trading your sanity for temporary validation. You're not Netflix. You don’t need to be available 24/7.

2. The Word “No” Isn’t Rude. It’s Revolutionary.
People-pleasers treat “no” like it’s Voldemort. You say it once and suddenly everyone acts like you've murdered the vibe. Newsflash: boundaries aren’t barriers, they’re filters. You say no to brunch with your frenemy? You just said yes to sleeping in and not faking a laugh at someone’s MLM pitch. Chanakya-level wisdom: “Before you start some work, ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be, and Will I be successful.” Apply this to your people-pleasing tendencies and—voilà!—you realize most of the things you say yes to are born from guilt, fear, or caffeine.

3. Being Liked is Overrated. Be Respected Instead.
Let’s be honest. People-pleasers are secretly auditioning for the role of “Most Loved Human.” But here’s the plot twist: even the most likable character in the movie gets killed off by act two. Respect sticks. Likability is a mood. Ask yourself: would Chanakya care if someone thought he was “too much”? Nope. He was busy orchestrating the downfall of corrupt kings while you were busy composing the perfect text that says, “Sure! No worries at all :)” when actually—you are worried, Karen. You are deeply worried.

4. Stop Trying to Keep the Peace.
Trying to please everyone is like trying to blend a salad with a straw. Painful, chaotic, and somehow you still end up hungry. Chanakya wasn’t out here trying to make everyone in the kingdom get along. He picked a side, played the game, and won. Why? Because neutrality is great for foreign policy—not your personal boundaries. Sometimes, not taking sides is taking a side. Usually the losing one.

5. Manipulation by Niceness Is Still Manipulation
Hot take: people-pleasing isn’t selfless. It’s a strategic move to secure love, safety, and approval without having to ask for it. Cute in theory, exhausting in practice. Chanakya would’ve called it what it is: a low-efficiency con. You’re buying love on emotional credit, hoping no one checks the debt. Try honesty. Scary? Sure. But way less effort than maintaining a whole alternate version of yourself who loves dog-sitting, office potlucks, and emotional labor.

6. Start Romanticizing Solitude. It’s a Power Move.
Once you stop people-pleasing, you’ll notice something weird: silence. No constant phone buzz. No passive-aggressive “u there?” texts. No calendar filled with obligations dressed up as hangouts. This is where most people panic. “What if they forget about me?” they whisper. Good. Let them. You’re not a fast food chain, you’re a limited-edition designer drop. Let the silence do the filtering. Chanakya didn’t beg for attention. He made moves so iconic, history kept receipts.

Final Scene
You, walking away from a group chat you muted three weeks ago. You're sipping your overpriced matcha, wearing metaphorical armor made of “no”s and “I actually can’t make it”s. You’re not mean. You’re just finally choosing you. Because here’s the truth bomb: the moment you stop pleasing everyone else, you start meeting the version of yourself who’s not tired, bitter, or fake-smiling through rage. And that, my friend, is your main character energy.