06/11/2026
I spent so much of my life hiding away out of fear that if I showed up as me, I would be judged.
I thought I wasn’t lovable as just me.
For some reason, I believed I needed to earn love. And once I had it, I felt like I had to do everything I could to keep it.
The truth is I had cultivated a group of people who knew I was big-hearted, loving, and would do anything for them.
The best of them sensed they didn’t really know me because there was so much of myself I never let them see.
The worst of them knew I’d do anything for them, and they took advantage of it.
I wanted to be known so badly, but I never really knew how to let myself be known.
People-pleasing was etched into me. The servant’s heart. The acts-of-service girlie. The one who gave, helped, fixed, and carried.
So showing up as me was scary.
Would they stay if I stopped being who they needed me to be?
What I’ve learned is that the people meant for me want to see me.
Because if I keep showing up as the version of me everyone else wants, I’ll never know whether they love me for me or simply for what I can do for them.
Authenticity is a risk. Some people won’t like the real you. Some people may leave.
But maybe that’s the point.
The people who are only connected to the version of you that abandons herself were never truly connected to you in the first place.
The work of healing people-pleasing isn’t about becoming less caring. It’s about learning how to stay connected to yourself while staying connected to others.
What’s one way you’re learning to show up more authentically lately? ❤️
