220. Breaking Free from the Habit of Solving Everyone Else’s Problems (with Leah Marone)

220. Breaking Free from the Habit of Solving Everyone Else’s Problems (with Leah Marone) In this episode of The Visibility Factor Podcast, Susan M. Barber sits down with psychotherapist, speaker, and author Leah Marone to discuss the hidden cost of constantly helping, fixing, and rescuing everyone around us. Leah shares insights from her book, Serial Fixer: Break Free from the Habit of Solving Other People’s Problems, and explains how high achievers, leaders, parents, and compassionate professionals often become trapped in cycles of over-functioning, burnout, resentment, and emotional exhaustion. Together, Susan and Leah unpack the difference between helping and fixing, why boundaries feel so difficult, and how many people unknowingly tie their self-worth to being needed. They also explore how emotional intelligence can sometimes lead us to overextend ourselves and why slowing down, becoming present, and asking better questions can transform our relationships and leadership.   Key Takeaways The difference between helping and fixing - and why many leaders confuse the two Why resentment is often a sign that boundaries are missing The hidden connection between self-worth and being “needed” How “serial fixing” shows up at work, at home, and in leadership The three common serial fixer types Why control can sometimes disguise itself as compassion The importance of slowing down instead of reacting immediately How toxic work environments can bait people into over-functioning The power of asking: “Tell me more” Why presence is one of the most overlooked forms of self-care How internal “bodyguards” like the inner critic and inner pleaser try to keep us safe   Book Recommendation from Leah The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho   Connect with Leah Marone Leah Marone Website Leah Marone on LinkedIn   Connect with Susan M. Barber If this episode resonated with you, share it with another leader navigating change inside their organization. You can also connect with Susan M. Barber for coaching, leadership development, speaking engagements, and visibility strategy work focused on helping leaders become more influential, trusted, and impactful inside organizations. https://susanmbarber.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbarbercoaching/