The Melissa Ambrosini Show 687: The Good Girl Hangover: When “Being Nice” Starts Costing You
Jan 13, 2026
Ever experienced the 'good girl hangover'—that feeling of saying yes when you meant no? This conversation dives deep into how overgiving can lead to inner emptiness and resentment. It highlights subtle signs of people-pleasing and introduces three empowering shifts to reclaim self-trust and emotional clarity. Using examples like Simone Biles, the discussion emphasizes the importance of mental health over mere performance. Listeners are encouraged to practice honesty and self-respect with a seven-day challenge, fostering a truer sense of self.
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The Good Girl Hangover Defined
- The "good girl hangover" is the emotional aftermath of living for approval and building safety through performance.
- You can be proud of external success and still feel disconnected because you've left yourself out of your life.
Performance Can't Create Inner Steadiness
- Perfectionism and external expectations have risen over decades, increasing pressure on women to perform.
- Performance builds a respectable life but cannot create the inner steadiness women actually crave.
Cycle Behind Performance Fatigue
- A three-step cycle fuels the hangover: perform to feel safe, achieve to feel worthy, then crash into depletion.
- This cycle makes rest uncomfortable because rest removes the safety that performance provides.
