The deep wish to be approved of
What you should know about the impulse to "people-please"
People-pleasers are often praised for being agreeable, helpful, and kind - and often they really are these things. But beneath this exterior frequently lies a specific childhood history, and an emotional landscape of anxiety, confusion, and fear of disapproval.
In today’s Kindred Letter, let’s examine the childhood (and other) causes of people-pleasing—and what to do about them.