dream2020- I think that you have hit the nail on the head. When I was younger, it was so important that I be liked by my peers. As I matured, I realized that being liked was not so important, especially if attaining "likeability" meant compromising a part of yourself.
There is a line from a song by Ricky Nelson,
"You can't please everybody, so you've got to please yourself."
Pleasing yourself, IMO, is being caring of the people that are important to you, as well as having a generalized good will to all humanity. It does not mean doing backflips for any and all that request it.
