Modern Love How to Stop Asking 'Are You Mad at Me?'
47 snips
Jul 30, 2025 
Meg Josephson, a therapist and author of 'Are You Mad at Me?', shares insights from her journey of overcoming the childhood habit of people pleasing. She discusses how this fawn response, rooted in early family dynamics, shaped her adult relationships and sense of self. A pivotal moment in a Bed Bath & Beyond reveals her struggle with self-awareness. Josephson also reflects on the longing for parental love, the warmth of chosen families, and the complexities of navigating emotional insecurities in relationships.
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Fear of Being Inherently Bad
- The question "Are you mad at me?" reveals a deep fear of being inherently flawed or bad.
- This fear leads to constant anxiety about approval and satisfying others.
The Fawn Response Explored
- Fawning is a survival response to threat where we appease others to stay safe.
- Chronic fawning leads to exhaustion, resentment, and losing sense of self.
Lost Self in Towel Aisle
- Meg's experience choosing towels in Bed Bath & Beyond revealed her lost sense of self.
- She realized she didn't know her favorite color, highlighting deep self-alienation from constant people-pleasing.
