52. Why You Keep People-Pleasing (And How to Finally Stop)

Your people pleasing isn't a personality trait. It's a survival strategy you learned long before you ever realised you were doing it. In this episode, I take you right into the early moments where people pleasing begins, how those habits harden over time, and the emotional cost of performing calm on the outside while falling apart inside. I share my story from childhood stage school to years of performing for approval, to losing myself again after moving to America. You'll hear how the cracks finally pushed me toward habit change coaching and the tools that helped me rebuild my voice, my self-trust and my emotional regulation one pause at a time. If you've ever wondered why you swallow your truth, overextend yourself or explode over tiny things, I walk you through the exact tools that changed my life and the lives of my clients. These are the practices that help you shift the cycle of trigger → react → regret into trigger → pause → respond. And if you're tired of performing, pleasing or pretending, there's one small challenge at the end of the episode that can shift everything. "People pleasing isn't who you are, it's what you learned." – Jenny Maxwell You'll hear about: • Why people pleasing begins so young • Childhood rules that shape lifelong behaviour • Performing for approval and its hidden cost • Becoming everyone's person after moving abroad • Finding purpose in non-profit work • The moment coaching changed everything • Rebuilding self-trust and emotional regulation • Learning to pause before reacting • Setting boundaries without guilt • A challenge to practice one tiny truth   Press Pause: https://jennymcoaching.thrivecart.com/presspause/   1:1 Coaching Book a call: https://calendly.com/jennymcoaching/initial-call?month=2025-09   Connect with me: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennymaxwell-leadership-coach-replacemicromanagement/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennymcoaching/?hl=en  Website - https://jennymcoaching.com/   Don't Miss the Next Breakthrough Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss a reset moment. And if this episode spoke to you, would you leave a quick review? It helps more women find the tools they didn't know they needed. Whether you're a mom, a partner, or someone supporting a loved one through postpartum, please share this episode with someone who needs to feel less alone. A problem shared is a problem halved. Before You Go This is your reminder that you're not too much, and you're not not enough.  You are allowed to take up space, to need support, and to rest.  And if that feels hard right now, I'm here. You're not alone in this.   Episode produced by Between Tracks Media Productions - https://www.betweentracks.com/