I have discovered that I am too nice. Not only do people walk all over me, but people tend to blow things up when I finally stand up for myself. It has been that way for most of my life and I really don't understand it. Yes, I'm nice, but I'm also strong. I will defend myself and I will defend my friends. If that displeases you or surprises you, oh well.
The thing about being too nice, is that people don't expect those of us who are too nice to have a backbone. We are pushovers, doormats, punching bags, among other things. So, the day we "punch" back, the person we stand up to, doesn't usually know how to handle it. It's something I have experienced all throughout my life and there has been very little difference in how the situations have ended. After months and even years of being insulted or walked over, the times I have stood up for myself have ended in disaster. My attempts to defend myself (or my friends) have often backfired and have lead to me getting in trouble or looking like the bad guy. People have gone out their way to turn situations around and made me look like a shallow, heartless person. Honestly it's a talent, but it's a talent I am glad I do not posses. I've come to the conclusion that their reactions are either out of shock, fear, or a mixture of both. I know I'm not the only person this happens to, and I'm tired of seeing it happen.
Just because YOU think I'm quiet or a push over or spineless, it doesn't mean I am. Just because you think I am your punching bag, it does not mean I am. I give out second and third and fourth and fifth chances like they're candy. It's no surprise that people cannot handle me when I show my strength, but as they say, "never wake a sleeping dragon." There is a dragon within me and she is protective and fierce and will do anything to protect the things and the people she loves, it does take a lot to wake her up, but it is not my fault if you have pushed me enough to wake her. I will not take abuse, just because some people think I'm too nice or too weak to ever fight back. It is not my fault you underestimate me. I am strong, powerful, and protective, but that doesn't mean I can't be nice as well.
Nice people are allowed to stand up for themselves. We are allowed to voice our opinion without being awful. Just because we aren't being our overly nice selves does not mean that a certain person can make our reputations really really bad. We, as a group, just decided to stop taking that certain person's crap.
Stop underestimating nice people. We just might surprise you.