From the time we are children, we are taught the value of being liked. We’re told to share, to smile, to get along, to be agreeable. And while kindness and respect are essential values, there’s a hidden trap in living only for the approval of others. If your life’s direction is determined by what will make you more “liked,” you may end up losing the chance to live a life that is truly yours.

The courage to be disliked is not about rudeness or selfishness—it’s about authenticity. It’s about honoring your own path, even when it means you might disappoint, unsettle, or be misunderstood by others.

The Trap of Being Liked

Saying “yes” feels safe. It maintains peace, avoids conflict, and often brings temporary approval. But what happens when all those “yeses” are pulling you away from what matters most to you?

  • You say yes to a meeting that steals time from your own project.
  • You say yes to a party when what you really need is rest.
  • You say yes to someone else’s priorities while your own dreams sit quietly in the corner, waiting.

Being liked is comfortable, but comfort rarely leads to growth. If all you ever do is seek approval, you become stuck—living someone else’s script, not your own.

A Personal Choice That Changed Everything

I know this lesson not only in theory but in practice. Years ago, my wife and I made one of the hardest decisions of our lives: we chose to move to another country.

That decision disappointed many people—our families, our friends, our circle of familiarity. Some questioned us, some disagreed, and some quietly felt hurt by our choice. We understood their emotions, but we also knew this truth: living only to be liked would keep us trapped.

So we chose differently. We chose our path, guided by one priority above all else: creating the best opportunities and future for our child.

It wasn’t easy. It required courage to endure the disappointment and disapproval of others. But looking back now, I see it as one of the most powerful choices we ever made. That decision brought us growth, new possibilities, and a life that would not have existed if we had stayed to satisfy others’ expectations.

This moment taught me something profound: sometimes the most loving thing you can do—for yourself, your family, and your future—is to accept being disliked in the short term in order to honor the long-term truth of your path.

The Power of Focus

Courage comes from clarity. When you know your path, your “no” becomes just as valuable as your “yes.” Behind every refusal lies an affirmation: a “no” to one thing is a “yes” to something greater.

Sometimes focus means canceling plans without guilt. Sometimes it means refusing to take on tasks that don’t align with your values. Sometimes it means disappointing someone in order to remain faithful to your priorities.

And yes, it means that not everyone will like you. But the alternative—living a life that isn’t yours—is far worse.

Disappointment Does Not Mean You’re Wrong

Here’s the truth we forget: being disliked does not mean you are a bad person. It means you had the courage to choose your path.

The people who truly love you may feel disappointment at first, but in time, they respect authenticity. They see that your “no” is not rejection of them, but affirmation of your own integrity.

Those who only liked you when you were convenient? They were never truly your people to begin with.

Growth Comes With Courage

Growth always disrupts. Change always unsettles. If your goal is to never disappoint anyone, you will never grow.

True success, self-discovery, and meaningful progress will always upset someone’s expectations. But the question to ask is not, “Do they like me?” The real question is, “Am I living true to myself?”

When you stop chasing approval, you start chasing purpose. And in that space, life begins to unfold in its most honest and powerful form.

So, do you have the courage to be disliked?

Because in that courage lies freedom. In that freedom lies growth. And in that growth, you discover something infinitely more valuable than being liked: being truly alive.

GK

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Published by georgi.kisyov

42 thoughts on “Courage to Be Disliked”

    1. Thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kind words. It’s a topic that took me a long time to understand — that sometimes the hardest choices lead us exactly where we need to be. I’m really glad the post resonated with you. 🙏✨
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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  3. This is so true. I also gave up worrying about being liked. Covid lockdown was a turning point; I stopped doing all of the things I did not want to do and focused on things I liked. Which mostly involve being by myself. I now have more energy to do some of the things others need or expect, but have the courage to say “no” when required. It’s freeing!

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    1. That’s such a powerful realization — and I completely agree. Sometimes it takes a big pause, like the lockdowns, to help us see what truly matters. Saying “no” can be the most freeing thing we do for ourselves. I’m really glad you shared this. 🌿✨
      Have a beautiful new week.
      GK

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  4. Good post! A great reminder for me that as a Christian I will inevitably be disliked by some for my faith and beliefs. I will always choose God’s path even at the risk of being disliked. Have a good day 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much! You’re absolutely right — staying true to your faith and values takes great courage. Choosing God’s path, even when it means being misunderstood, is one of the strongest forms of authenticity. Wishing you a wonderful day too! 🙏✨
      GK

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  5. Wonderful Words my Friend… Living for God’s purpose means walking boldly in truth, not for the approval of others. True peace comes when we follow His path, not the world’s.

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    1. Thank you, my friend. 🌿 You said it perfectly — true peace really does come from following God’s path, not from chasing approval. Walking boldly in truth isn’t always easy, but it’s the only road that feels truly right. 🙏✨
      GK

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    1. Absolutely! 🌿 Growth starts the moment we stop chasing approval and start choosing ourselves. Thank you for this beautiful reminder — so well said! 🙏✨
      Have a wonderful new week.
      GK

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  8. A lot of this resonates. It’s important to maintain that sense of being true to oneself in the new environment. I’ve moved from a place that was a curious combination of urban and parochial to semi-rural, conformist suburbia. The benefits of the latter just about outweigh the former but there may be other moves yet.

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    1. Thank you for sharing this. It sounds like you’ve experienced some big transitions, and I completely understand that balance between comfort and authenticity. Each move teaches us something new about who we are and what we value. Wishing you peace and clarity wherever the next chapter takes you. 🌿✨
      Have a beautiful new week.
      GK

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  9. It hit the nail on the head with this. I’m getting there, sometime quickly, sometime slow and full of stumbles. I feel a heck of a lot more free than I was hiding in a blanket fort.

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    1. Hello,
      I love how you said that — “free from the blanket fort.” ❤️ Growth is never a straight line, but every stumble is proof that you’re moving forward. I’m really glad the post spoke to you. Keep going — freedom looks good on you. 🌿✨
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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  10. Pingback: Courage to Be Disliked | NewsNationOnline

  13. First comment sent before I was finished. ” And yes, it means that not everyone will like you.” Found this out over time but it was definitely decisions that had to be made. This was a great honest post! ~ Rosie

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    1. Thank you so much, Rosie! 💛 I really appreciate your words. It truly takes time and experience to understand that lesson — saying no to what doesn’t align with our values is never easy, but it’s always the right choice. I’m so glad this post resonated with you. 🙏
      Have a great day.
      GK

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  14. Pingback: Courage to Be Disliked – Dream Pass 07

  15. True. We were even made to believe “to win” always. Instead of just focusing on doing your best. If you fail, try again. We can’y have everything. We cant win always. But we can try to always do our best and better in some ways we failed to focus.

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  16. a lot of very good points, definitely feel your pain on the disappointing people by moving countries…

    Try doing it when your parents just moved back to your home country after 15 years and having to deliver the news on Christmas day because in a few days the for sale sign was going up….

    lead balloon!

    Was not an easy decision but after 3 years I can say it was the right one for us.

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    1. Wow… I can only imagine how heavy that must have felt — especially at Christmas. These decisions never come without pain, especially when they involve the ones we love. But like you said — sometimes the right decision is the hardest one. I’m glad that after 3 years you can now say it was the right path for you. Thank you for sharing this with me. 🙏🌿
      GK

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  17. It takes a quiet kind of rebellion to live honestly — not loud, not cruel, just unwilling to trade truth for applause.
    I used to think peace came from being agreeable; now I see it comes from staying aligned.
    “The courage to be disliked” isn’t defiance — it’s devotion to what’s real.

    — Marin Vale | dispatch from the edge

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    1. Wow… this is beautifully expressed. ✨
      “Not loud, not cruel” — yes. That quiet rebellion you describe… that’s exactly it.
      Alignment over applause. Truth over performance.
      Thank you for sharing this reflection — it adds so much depth to the conversation. 🌿
      GK

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    1. Thank you so much for this insightful comment. You’re absolutely right — today’s world often values “word safety” over honesty. Real conversations, even when uncomfortable, are how understanding and growth begin. I truly appreciate your thoughtful perspective. 🙏
      GK

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    1. I love that! 🙌 It takes real courage to live life on your own terms, especially in the workplace where expectations can be so strong. Good for you for staying true to yourself — that kind of integrity always stands out. 💪✨
      GK

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  21. I genuinely like this piece and the message it holds. What a timely and needed reflection. Your words shine a gentle light on something most of us wrestle with far more than we admit-that quiet pull to be liked, accepted, approved of. From childhood we learn how to smooth our edges, shrink our needs, and bend ourselves into shapes that make others more comfortable. But as you so thoughtfully expressed, a life built on approval is often a life drifting further and further from the person God actually designed us to be.

    What resonated deeply with me is the reminder that authenticity is not rebellion, it’s stewardship. It’s honoring the life entrusted to us, the calling whispered into our hearts, the direction God places on our path even when others can’t see it yet. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Approval feels like safety, but it becomes a trap; trust in God leads to the kind of grounded courage that can endure misunderstanding without losing direction.

    Your story about moving to another country, knowing it would unsettle people you love, captures that truth so beautifully. Sometimes obedience to the path before us requires disappointing others in the moment so that something greater and more faithful can unfold in the long run. And often, the very people who struggle at first come to respect the strength it took later on.

    And you’re right: a “no” is not a rejection of people, it’s a yes to purpose, to wholeness, to clarity. Growth always shakes something loose. But choosing the life you were meant to live, rather than the one others expect, is one of the bravest steps a person can take.

    Thank you for this reminder that being disliked for the right reasons isn’t a failure, it’s often the first breath of freedom.

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    1. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this reflection. You expressed this truth so perfectly — authenticity really is stewardship, not rebellion. I especially love how you said “approval feels like safety, but it becomes a trap.” That line holds so much wisdom. I’m truly grateful for your words — they added another layer of light to this conversation. ✨
      GK

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  22. This was excellent and I completely agree with your thoughts. It took me a long time to recognize I have to live my life on my own terms, and everyone may or may not agree with my decisions, but that’s okay. Thank you for posting this.

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    1. Thank you so much! I’m really glad the message resonated with you. It takes time—and courage—to reach that point of living life on your own terms, but it’s such a freeing place to be. I truly appreciate your thoughtful words.
      GK

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