Ever felt the math of your life stop mathing - doing more while feeling less seen?

We open up about the season of constant yeses that left us drained, the late-night crack that sparked awareness, and the first clean “no” that felt terrifying and freeing at the same time.

This is a personal, unvarnished story about people pleasing, invisible labor, and the ego that kept the cycle spinning, followed by the steady, practical steps that pulled us back into alignment.

We walk through how autopilot makes boundaries vanish, how the body flags misalignment before the mind admits it, and why questions like “What do I want?” and “Where am I bending too far?” can be both simple and scary.

You’ll hear concrete moments: turning down a twelfth role at work, skipping a celebration for someone who didn’t show respect, and noticing that the imagined fallout never arrived.

Along the way, we reframe boundaries as a way to keep yourself in—your energy protected, your voice loud, your yes sacred—so choices stop being performances and start being acts of self-respect.

If you’re exhausted by expectations, stuck in the role of fixer, or worried that saying no makes you selfish, this conversation offers a different path. You’ll get small, doable practices to pause before committing, journal for clarity, and let your values lead your calendar and your replies.

Most of all, you’ll hear a reminder that your voice matters, your choices matter, and you can start today. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help more listeners reclaim their yes.

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To get started, we take aim at that reflexive guilt, unpack where it comes from, and show how to reclaim your calendar without ghosting friends or becoming a “no machine.”

Through candid stories and clear steps, we map a path from people-pleasing to grounded choice so you can give generously without losing yourself.

We start by naming the inherited rules that teach us to earn love by overextending. Then we flip the frame: triggers aren’t proof you’re selfish—they’re mirrors pointing to fuzzy boundaries and unmet needs.

You’ll learn simple language shifts that rewire your inner script, the power of inserting a pause before you commit, and a quick test to spot when you’re appeasing guilt instead of honouring your goals, peace, and joy.

We treat boundaries as a GPS, not a fortress: specific, kind, and firm guideposts that protect your energy and strengthen respect.

From there, we rewrite the rules you live by—choosing self-trust over obligation—and practice with tiny, doable reps: delay a reply, skip a needless meeting, leave a buffer.

Each small no builds confidence, reduces resentment, and makes your yes more meaningful.

We close with a crisp recap and a one-question homework prompt that turns insight into action: pause, ask what you actually want, and act from choice. If you’re ready to trade guilt for clarity and show up fully where it matters most, this conversation will refill your mojo.

Subscribe to Pocketful Mojo, leave a quick review, and tell us: what’s one small no you’ll practice this week?

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More Mojo:
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Mojo Website:

Grab your People Pleaser Cheat Sheet FREE & get signed up for the weekly Mojo Magazine for all things Mojo! CLICK HERE

Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/run-away

Ever notice how some people seem to get stronger the harder you try to please them? That’s not a personality clash—it’s a power dynamic. We dig into why “poison people” are drawn to emotionally fluent, caring humans and how their control thrives on explanations, real-time reactions, and the need to be liked. The shift isn’t about becoming tougher or louder; it’s about becoming anchored and unavailable for the game.

We unpack the psychology behind people-pleasing—reading rooms, smoothing tension, absorbing discomfort—and how the wrong audience reads that as flexible boundaries. Then we flip the script. Instead of asking how to be more agreeable, we ask why someone needs you small. That single question exposes the engine of control. Steph shares a sharp story from her early days working in France, where constant nitpicking had less to do with performance and more to do with status. The moment she recognized the pattern, the sting dissolved and the power returned to its rightful owner.

You’ll walk away with five tactical tools to protect your energy and hold your ground: shorter statements that close loops, detaching from being understood, regulating before responding, choosing dignity over victory, and anchoring to the bigger picture to shift from victim to architect. We also emphasize a core truth: boundaries don’t make you mean, they make you honest. You can stay warm and kind without being available for manipulation. If you’ve been over-functioning to earn safety or acceptance, this conversation helps you stop negotiating your worth and start standing in it.

If the message resonates, share it with a friend who doubts themselves around “that one person,” subscribe for more grounded coaching, and leave a review so other recovering people pleasers can find their way here. Your peace is not up for negotiation—let’s keep it that way.

Support the show

More Mojo:
Daily Mojo:
Mojo Website:

Grab your People Pleaser Cheat Sheet FREE & get signed up for the weekly Mojo Magazine for all things Mojo! CLICK HERE

Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/run-away