Alex M

If you've seen any of my social media posts on perfectionism and people pleasing, you'll know I spent decades trapped in patterns that kept me exhausted, resentful, and performing for everyone else. The perfectionism made me feel like I was never good enough unless everything was flawless. The people pleasing made me say yes to everything while slowly losing myself in the process. And the thing that's helped me recover from both? Boundaries. Not the weak, apologetic boundaries that don't...

I used to think being a people pleaser made me a good person. Accommodating, caring, always there when someone needed me. I'd say yes when every cell in my body was signalling no. I'd agree when I disagreed. I'd smile when I was screaming inside. I genuinely believed that if I could just make everyone else happy, I'd finally be worthy of love. Turns out, people pleasing isn't kindness at all. It's fear wearing a very convincing disguise. And it took me decades – and some pretty brutal lessons...

I used to think my perfectionism was a strength. Something that set me apart, made me better, proved I had high standards. I genuinely believed that my inability to do anything at less than 100% was what made me good at things. Turns out, it was actually the thing keeping me stuck, burnt out, and constantly stressed. And the worst part? I couldn't see it because perfectionism is really bloody good at disguising itself as ambition, dedication, and having your shit together. Let me tell you...