How to Stop People Pleasing If You Grew Up in a South Asian Family

This post explores why people pleasing can be so deeply ingrained if you grew up in a South Asian or collectivist family, where sacrifice, family expectations and keeping the peace can sometimes come before your own needs. We look at how to reconnect with what you actually want, understand the fears underneath people pleasing, build your self-worth without constantly feeling like you have to earn love, and start practising taking up space and voicing your needs. Most importantly, we look at how to do this safely, recognising that people pleasing can sometimes be a genuine survival strategy when there is trauma, abuse or an active threat.