Heather Prince explains why kind people hesitate before major life changes: they fear disappointing others. She separates real disappointment, which comes from love, from mere inconvenience, which comes from unmet expectations. Don't carry guilt for someone else's inconvenience. Set boundaries and decide from what serves your future, not from keeping others comfortable.
Chapters
When I'm talking with clients who are about to step into big life changes, especially those of you who are naturally kind, forgiving, gentle, and deeply empathetic, something always comes up. You'll say, but I don't want to disappoint someone in my life if I make this change. And I get it. When people are used to you always being there for them, whether it's your time, your energy, or your presence, your shift can feel like a loss to them. Suddenly you're not as available to meet their needs, and they don't like it. But here's the real question: are they actually disappointed, or are they just inconvenienced? There's a huge difference. So let's look at disappointment. That is about the heart. For example, if I invited you to an event because I was excited to spend time with you and you couldn't make it, I'd feel genuinely disappointed. That's about connection and wanting to share and experience together. But inconvenience? That's different. That's when someone asked you to go with them them because they didn't want to go alone or they needed someone to fill a role and then you say no. Now they're scrambling, they're annoyed and they're calling it disappointment but really it's just that you didn't do what they expected you to do for them. See the difference? Please say yes in the comments. So disappointment is about love and connection Inconvenience is about expectation and obligation, and here's where it matters for you. When you're making choices for your life, I want you making them from an empowered place, not weighed down by guilt, shame, or fear of letting someone down. If their disappointment is really just inconvenience, that's not yours to carry. To put it bluntly, you're not actually disappointing them. You're just no longer available to make their life easier in the way they got used to, and that's okay. Your energy, your boundaries, your future— it all matters more than keeping someone else comfortable.
