Inner Work With MaryAnn Walker: Stop People Pleasing and Start Honoring You! 183: 10 Common Struggles Highly Sensitive People and People Pleasers Face (And How Coaching Can Help)
Are you always showing up for everyone else — yet feeling unseen, unfulfilled, or disconnected from yourself?
In this episode, life coach MaryAnn Walker shares the top 10 struggles she sees most often in highly sensitive people and recovering people pleasers — and how to start reclaiming your joy, balance, and authenticity.
As you listen, take a gentle self-inventory. If even one of these resonates, you deserve support. But if four or more hit home, consider it a loving nudge that it’s time to invest in you — because you deserve a life that feels peaceful, balanced, and full of joy.
10 most common struggles:
- You’re checking all the boxes but still not feeling happy.
Life looks good on paper, but joy still feels just out of reach. - You’ve lost yourself in caring for everyone else.
You’re so tuned in to others’ needs that you can’t even identify your own anymore. - You’re doing the lion’s share of emotional labor in your relationships.
You’re the one who comforts, initiates repairs, and carries the weight of everyone’s feelings. - You feel personally responsible for others’ emotions.
You can’t rest until everyone around you is okay — even if it drains you. - You feel like you’re walking on eggshells.
You’re constantly scanning for danger or disapproval, trying to keep everyone happy and avoid conflict. - You feel insecure and wonder if you’re too much or too little.
You replay conversations and second-guess yourself long after interactions have ended. - You love serving others, but something feels missing.
Giving brings you joy — and yet you feel a quiet ache that there should be more for you, too. - You crave deeper, more balanced relationships.
You’re longing for mutual care, emotional depth, and connection where you can be fully yourself. - You’re tired of living on autopilot.
You want more than productivity — you want passion, creativity, and joy. - You’re ready to reconnect with you.
You’ve spent years living by others’ expectations, and now you’re ready to rediscover who you are and what lights you up.
How many are you experiencing?
Work With Me
If you recognized yourself in several of these struggles, know that you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Coaching can help you reconnect with who you are, set healthy boundaries, and create a life that feels balanced and joyful.
✨ Book your free clarity call today to see if coaching is a good fit for you: https://calendly.com/maryannwalkerlife/freeconsult
Or email me directly at maryann@maryannwalker.life
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Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Welcome Mat vs. Doormat Energy episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2028767/episodes/17600742
- Brené Brown: Empathy vs. Sympathy video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBTYViDPlQ
- Book: Becoming Sister Wives by Christine Woolley Brown https://amzn.to/4neLh1J
- Book a Free Clarity Call: https://calendly.com/maryannwalkerlife/freeconsult