There is a particular kind of people pleasing that doesn’t look like people pleasing at all. It looks like being easy-going. You don’t choose the restaurant because you genuinely don’t mind. You don’t mention the comment that hurt you because you don’t want to make a big deal out of it. You don’t ask your […]
People pleasing
10 CBT Exercises for People Pleasing You Can Practise at Home
If you’ve ever said “it’s fine!” through gritted teeth, apologised for something that wasn’t your fault, or spent an entire evening replaying a text you sent — wondering if it sounded too demanding — you already know what people pleasing feels like from the inside. It isn’t really about being “too nice.” It’s a survival […]
People Pleasing and Repressed Anger: Why Being “Nice” Can Make You Angry
You’d think being “the nice one” would leave you feeling calm, liked, and at peace. Instead, a lot of people-pleasers describe something else entirely: a low hum of irritation that never quite goes away, sudden snapping over something small, or a resentment they can’t explain because, on paper, nothing is wrong. This is the paradox […]
If You’re a People Pleaser Parent, This Is How It’s Affecting Your Children (Even When You’re Trying Your Best)
You became a people pleaser because somewhere along the way, you learned that keeping the peace was your job. Maybe it was a parent whose moods ran the household. Maybe it was a relationship that taught you that having needs was dangerous. Maybe you can’t even pinpoint a single moment — it just became who […]
Why You Became a People Pleaser After Abuse (And Why It Makes Complete Sense)
There’s a version of this conversation that starts with: “just learn to say no.” And if you’ve ever heard that advice — from a friend, a therapist, a well-meaning Instagram post — and felt a wave of something between panic and rage, this is for you. Because here’s what those people don’t understand: for a […]