Most kill their own character because they are afraid. Of rejection, of failure, of standing alone when necessary. They trade who they are for approval, comfort, or safety, believing it will hurt less that way. This is a trap. Over time, they stop recognizing themselves. They silence truth, and follow a life that was never truly theirs. They know it deep down, but tell themselves it's “normal” or “just how things are.”
Fear makes them avoid hard decisions, authentic conversations, and bold changes. So they stay in systems that don’t care about them, around people who don’t see them, doing work that drains them. They survive, but never live. They keep postponing their real life, waiting for permission that never comes. In doing so, they bury the one thing that could have made it all worth it. Their true self.
So tragic...
Recommended read:
https://sites.psu.edu/acepassion2/2021/02/24/learned-helplessness-experiment/