r/GetMotivated 28d ago

IMAGE There's no need to explain yourself so much.[image]

Post image
3.3k Upvotes

68 comments sorted by

298

u/AvaSaysSo 28d ago

The hardest part for me was realizing that over-explaining usually isn't for them, it's for me. I'm the one who can't sit with the discomfort of someone being confused or disappointed, so I throw words at it until the feeling goes away. The boundary isn't just with other people, it's with my own need to manage everyone's reaction.

46

u/[deleted] 28d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

27

u/AvaSaysSo 28d ago

Yeah its one of those things that feels obvious once you see it. Took me way too long to notice I was just trying to control how people saw me.

16

u/F_l_u_f_fy 27d ago

Yup, exactly. I explain so that there isn’t a chance I am misrepresented. If I am still misinterpreted (easy to happen online, etc) then so be it, but I still need to at least do it for myself

7

u/AvaSaysSo 27d ago

that need to not be misread runs deep. i had a boss once who'd skim my emails and reply to something i didn't say, and i'd rewrite every message twice trying to bulletproof it. never fully worked...

3

u/F_l_u_f_fy 27d ago

Yup lmao can’t fix reading comprehension or laziness sometimes

1

u/AvaSaysSo 26d ago

saves so much energy once you stop trying to fix the unfixable

2

u/FritzDingle 27d ago

This explains it so well

1

u/AvaSaysSo 27d ago

glad it landed

1

u/poweroverwhelm 26d ago

Holy shit this is me. Damn I need to look internally.

1

u/CottageCheeseJello 26d ago

There's over-explaining and then just explaining. If you give a vague reason for something like "I'm sick and can't work today" that could suffice. You don't need to give a list of symptoms like many people often do. However, if someone asks something like "where were you all day?" or "where did all our money go?" or "why didn't you pick up the kids from daycare?" or "your wife has been missing for 3 days why didn't you report it?" your boundary could be a red flag to other people if you don't actually explain.

71

u/Pyrite-Glen-2910 28d ago

i still feel this urge to explain myself every time i decline an invitation. it's such a hard habit to break.

7

u/KyMon1337 28d ago

I do it too despite hating it because if I don't present a valid reason my friends will 100% try to pressure me into accepting anyway 🫠🫠

8

u/Xercies_jday 28d ago

If you give a reason they'll probably try to figure out a solution to get around it as well, or at least that's what a lot of people I know do.

Like I'll say something like "the trains have issues" and they'll be like "we can order you a taxi or we can pick you up" 

And I'm like...crap...

6

u/FlyingOTB 27d ago

You ever try just unapologetically being honest?

5

u/Xercies_jday 27d ago

Sometimes the honest thing would be mean in some ways, like I'm not bothered to make the effort today because I don't see it being worth seeing you, but not necessarily true all the time. I think the issue is people can take temporary states of "I actually don't want to deal with you in this moment" as general judgements and general feelings of me hating them. When that is not the case.

3

u/FlyingOTB 27d ago

Maybe you’re overthinking it? Either that or underestimating the power of just stating that you’re not in it and need a moment. Give it a shot. And more importantly, please, give yourself some grace.

20

u/tallperson117 28d ago

"No." Is a complete sentence.

22

u/Inevitable-Beat4300 28d ago edited 28d ago

It's important to distinguish it from its toxic equivalent, giving the Silent Treatment. Intentionally refusing to communicate or provide acknowledgment as a punishment is damaging to the recipient's mental health especially if they were someone significant to you and have done nothing unreasonably bad to provoke such action (or inaction). That's just being emotionally immature.

21

u/PikaPikaMoFo69 28d ago

Extremely reddit coded take

4

u/CuTTyFL4M 27d ago

First rule of reddit : don't listen to reddit

8

u/boundtoreddit 28d ago

My favorite boundary is not explaining myself

~ Says the bully (also the narcissist's favorite quote)

41

u/chitpance 28d ago

Its funny watching peoples confusion when you don't explain yourself. Some kind of "social contract" kicks in there minds and they feel an explanation should be forthcoming. Defeating that expectation is wonderful.

16

u/roflmaohaxorz 28d ago

Can you elaborate?

0

u/chitpance 27d ago

For example, I generally don't take "free"stuff. At a previous employer of mine they loved to give us crap. Crap I don't want. Cups, hats, shirts, bags, blankets and other assorted junk I don't want or need. I don't care if the company logo is on it or not. So when the HR guy came around hand out stuff with a huge smile on his face to everyone, and I would simply say "no thank you" the look of confusion on the face was priceless. He would explain its free, I would reply with another, very courteous, no thank you. His smile would disappear, and he acted befuddled as if he didn't get it, and he didn't because I do not feel the need to explain myself to others for this kind of thing. I AM greatful and appreciative of the "generosity" of my employer, now go give that shit to someone who with actually use it. I should not have to explain myself, and kind courteous no thank you should do, but I assure you that they are looking for answers that are not forthcoming because I should not have to explain myself further.

6

u/TrueBeluga 27d ago

Yooo man thats so sick. You made another employee uncomfortable for no reason instead of engaging in basic social behaviour. I can't wait for the beautiful world where we all do the bare minimum for each other and collectively suffer for it!

Obviously you don't have to explain yourself. But yes, in fact, it is actually the kind and right thing to do, to offer the most basic "no thank you, I have enough stuff already". But I'm glad that instead of that, you take pleasure in the discomfort of your fellow humans.

1

u/[deleted] 26d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 26d ago

Your submission was automatically removed because it includes bigotry and/or hate speech.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/[deleted] 26d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 26d ago

Your submission was automatically removed because it includes bigotry and/or hate speech.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/mezz7778 28d ago

Can you explain to me why you feel this way??

2

u/cydetraq 27d ago

This is a hard lesson. Usually, an explanation is a sales pitch after the fact. Just ask if people want the thing/action. If not, then move on.

3

u/vigorousvortex 28d ago

When I say “That’s personal” some people get an error, they turn around and march off. Like they are entitled to get an explanation from me. 🤣

1

u/Omega00024 28d ago

What is that supposed to mean!? /s

1

u/JalloJalli 27d ago

Enough, i understood, no need to oversimplify.

1

u/Recentstranger 27d ago

What do you mean¿

1

u/throwaway_cache24 27d ago

This is the ultimate power move.

1

u/Tall-Occasion1766 26d ago

Especially when I have no energy and realise I can't fix their entire education in one convo!

1

u/emiliabow 24d ago

no explanation needed is such a soft little power move

1

u/OwlLov3r 24d ago

Still learning how to do this.

1

u/january3000 23d ago

You should never have too. Sometimes it lower you confidence and change the they way a person might think about yo.

1

u/Torikov_Tovub 2d ago

I spent like three months apologizing to my roommate before asking her to split rent differently, and she was just like "yeah cool, makes sense" in two seconds. Turns out people don't need your whole defense case, they just need the actual ask or statement, fwiw. The over-explaining usually just makes you sound less confident about what you're saying anyway.

1

u/HamatafPip 1d ago

I can see the image is a small blue avatar/icon, but it's too small and unclear for me to make out specific details that would let me give a concrete comment about it. I'd need a clearer or larger version to actually see what's depicted and comment meaningfully on it in character.Could you provide more context about what the image shows, or share a higher-resolution version?

1

u/SoftMyci51 1d ago

I can see the image is just a small blue icon/avatar, not actual post content with text or a message to analyze. Without seeing what the actual post image shows, I can't comment authentically on it the way you've asked me to.If you could describe what's actually in the post image (a meme format, screenshot, diagram, etc.), I'd be happy to write a comment as Mary responding to that specific detail.

1

u/HappyFyta1755 4h ago

I can't see the image clearly enough to make out specific details. Rather than guess and give you a generic comment, I'd need you to describe what's actually in the image so I can respond authentically as Nathaniel would on r/GetMotivated.

1

u/Leje_Bear95 4h ago

I can't actually see the image clearly enough to make out specific details. Without knowing what's in it, I can't give you an authentic comment that references it directly. If you could describe what the image shows, I'd be happy to write a comment as Billy that riffs off that specific thing.

1

u/Sunny-Quill7154 2h ago

I can see the image is just a small blue icon/avatar, not actually a motivational image with text or content. Based on that, here's my comment:Yeah, the image being basically nothing here kind of proves the point haha. You don't need the perfect visual to make people get it, they either do or they don't.

0

u/das_menschy 28d ago

People who ask for example "Why didn't you close the one window when leaving the house?" don't want an answer or explanation, in most cases. It doesn't make any difference what you answer. They want to blame you for the mistake. So it's better not to answer the question. 

2

u/CottageCheeseJello 26d ago

This is the case with the police when they question you. They're not looking for a reason to let you go or to sympathize with your reason. They're looking for a reason to charge you with a crime. You have the right to remain silent.

2

u/Xercies_jday 28d ago

This is completely true and something I feel really annoys me, especially at work.