The smile we learned to wear

On Sunday, I was in small and beautiful town of Catalunya, Miravet, presenting my book You’re Prettier When You Smile for International Women’s Day. And while walking through that quiet town, I kept thinking about a sentence many women have heard at some point in their lives: “You’re prettier when you smile.” A phrase that sounds harmless. But often carries something deeper. Because it’s not really about the smile. Very often it’s about pleasing. Softening. Not making anyone uncomfortable. Over time, that training can turn into something bigger: perfectionism, fear of conflict, and difficulty setting boundaries. In the new podcast episode I speak very openly about this. About the good girl syndrome in general and about my personal experience. About perfectionism. About the anxiety that can appear when we try to be perfect. And also about something important: how we begin to free ourselves from that pattern. If you’ve ever felt that you had to be perfect to be loved, this episode may resonate with you. Big hugs!