You Don’t Owe Anyone
But most of the people around you will act like you do… and eventually you will start thinking like that too.
They will act as if you have signed an unspoken promise and now you owe them all. And they will keep demanding … daily.
They will expect you to show up, keep explaining yourself, be available, do favours, be nice…
They will act like you owe them answers…. time… availability… attention… smiles… access to you…
The thing though is: you don’t…
You did not sign anything, you did not give promises, you did not ask them to do that thing they now think you owe them for…
And yet - the pressure from people around you is always on.
You feel it in their silence after you say no.
It shows up in the way people look at you when you stop doing what they expected.
It frustrates you when you get guilt tripped and finally do what they wanted you to.
But if you dare do something that doesn’t make sense to them - you’ll feel the pressure creep back in again.
They’ll make you feel like you’re letting them down. Like you had to prioritize them instead, and you didn’t.
But you don’t “have to” anything.
Just because someone acts as if you owe them - doesn’t mean you do.
We somehow got used to this idea that you have to do what’s expected of you at all times so you can be accepted, understood and appreciated. So you keep the peace and avoid disappointing people.
But the reality is …
“Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”
You don’t owe strangers on the internet any explanations.
You don’t owe them to live up to their opinion about you. All it is - is their opinion, not your reality.
You don’t owe the algorithm your soul…
The only person you owe anything to is YOURSELF.
You owe you to be true to yourself.
You owe yourself peace… You owe yourself truth… You owe yourself the right to be yourself, to do what matters, to refuse things that suck your soul and not to give up those special pieces that make you you…
You owe yourself the freedom to not perform.
That’s not selfish. That’s yours to protect.
Let them all expect what they want.
You’re not here to serve everyone out there who may think you owe them.
Alright, that was all for now Rebel.
By the way… only a few know where the Rebel Speakeasy is. And now you’re one of them—grab a drink and let’s talk. We meet every Wednesday in live audio spaces on X.
Hope to see you there!
- Ani & Rick
RebelSpeakeasy.com by Ani • Rick
Find us on X @NFTrebels & @unl0c7