Episode 16
Ep 16: Mindful Healing & Setting Personal Limits: An Interview with Liliana
"Rejection is a redirection to help you find your actual tribe, the people who will love you and accept you just the way that you are." - Liliana
In this episode ofDiary of a Recovering People Pleaser, Jenny has a heart-centered conversation with Lil (Liliana), who shares her transformative journey of overcoming people pleasing tendencies.
The conversation explores how what we often learn as children reinforce these behaviors in adulthood. Lil shares techniques she's used to reparent herself to heal. Lil recounts pivotal moments in her healing journey, including her decision to separate from her husband and her crucial realization of the importance of setting personal boundaries without explanation. She discusses how therapy illuminated her people pleasing patterns.
They emphasize the importance of self-care, reparenting your childhood wounds, and embracing imperfections on the road to recovery.
Tips like journaling and meditation are shared alongside inspiring stories, including a significant incident involving a magical story of messages from loved ones who have passed on. If you believe in signs from Spirit, then this story will touch your heart.
This episode urges listeners to recognize their own behavior patterns, highlighting the power of self-realization and grace in the healing journey.
Books:
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson
About the Host
Interested in being a guest? Email Jenny: info@meditatewithjenny.com
- Work with Jenny - Book 1:1 Reiki or psychic channeled reading sessions. Offered virtually or in person in Buffalo, NY. Jenny also offers Reiki certification classes!
Copyright 2024 Jenny Leckey LLC
Transcript
How are you?
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:Oh my gosh, I'm so good.
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:I'm super excited to talk
about this kind of thing.
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:I feel like we need to
talk about this stuff more,
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:Jenny: I don't quite know when I learned
the phrase people pleaser, but it
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:definitely wasn't until like my thirties
that I realized my patterns were that.
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:It's it's finally becoming
something that people talk about.
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:Thank goodness.
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:But you're right.
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:Having these conversations are so crucial.
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:I
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:Lil: think for so long, it was so
normalized for people to engage
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:in people pleasing that we didn't
even realize that's what it was.
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:If we even just think about like women
in the fifties and how emotionally
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:unavailable men they still are, but
especially then, And we couldn't
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:talk about those kinds of things.
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:We would get called
names, needy or whatever.
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:And it's I'm just expressing that I
need something like that's, everybody
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:Jenny: has needs.
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:Basic human instinct to
have needs and wants.
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:Exactly.
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:I really appreciate you being here
and volunteering to tell your story.
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:Lil: I've done so much healing.
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:That not that long ago, I would
have just scrolled past that
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:because I discovered you on TikTok.
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:And I would have just scrolled past
it because doing something like this
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:would just give me so much anxiety.
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:Yeah.
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:What inspired you to start this?
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:Like how did this come about?
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:Jenny: I left teaching a few
years ago to take a leap of
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:faith and start my own business.
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:I do Reiki energy healing
and that kind of thing.
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:But I knew that wasn't
where I was meant to be.
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:In business they always say to niche down.
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:To find your target audience and what
problem was your audience dealing with?
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:And I struggled with that because
like with energy work, people
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:have all different kinds of
problems and it just was off.
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:Then actually one day
I'm a big voice memo fan.
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:So my friends and I, a few of us, we send.
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:The voice memos like basically mini
podcasts between you and your friend,
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:I was driving down to Myrtle beach,
actually, and I don't even know
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:what I was telling my friend about,
but it was this long ass message.
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:And at the end I said, and that
sums up this week's episode of diary
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:of a recovering people pleaser.
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:And then I was like, holy shit,
it was the light bulb moment.
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:Lil: It's funny because even before
I came across your video there's
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:this coworker that we talk about
those kinds of things all the time.
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:And I referenced to myself like that
always, I will always say as a recovering
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:people pleaser, I have to say this.
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:And that's awesome.
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:It definitely resonates.
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:Yeah.
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:Jenny: That's amazing.
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:I'm so glad you're here and as my first
official guest who I've never met in
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:person, this is like next level for me.
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:And I know you're excited too, because
you've been dying to share your story.
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:So do you want to start off by
introducing yourself, telling
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:us a little bit about yourself?
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:Lil: My name is Lil.
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:I grew up in Mexico till I was 18 and
then I came to the US for college.
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:Currently I live in Idaho.
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:I've had some pretty major
transformational shifts
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:in my life recently.
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:Back in 2020, I got
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:Now, four years later we're
separated and I live in my own house.
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:Oh yeah, that's a big
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:Jenny: shift.
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:Lil: Huge.
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:Yeah, before I'm even
30, so that was crazy.
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:But the whole process of even
Communicating to my husband that I needed
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:to walk away from this relationship.
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:That was a big step for me as a recovering
people pleaser, yeah, that was crazy
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:because there was not really anything in
the relationship that felt bad it just
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:was a relationship that wasn't meeting
my needs even when I had communicated
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:those, and so to walk away from a person
who is kind, who does love me, but can't
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:meet those needs, that was a Big thing
for me as a recovering people pleaser.
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:Wow.
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:You
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:Jenny: are not just talking the talk.
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:You are literally walking the
walk of holding boundaries,
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:putting your needs first.
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:Wow.
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:I usually like to start by asking
people how do you define people pleasing?
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:How did you know you
were a people pleaser?
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:Is there a certain set of behaviors
that you noticed or beliefs?
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:Lil: It all feels blurry because it
was definitely a gradual realization.
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:When I started going to therapy
back in:
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:that I was a people pleaser at all.
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:And I don't think my therapist
even pointed it out explicitly.
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:There's definitely a lot.
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:I think especially when I think about
my romantic relationships, that was
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:something that deeply affected things.
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:And I didn't even realize that yes, I had
partners who were real shitty, honestly.
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:Yeah, even if I had communicated what I
needed they wouldn't have met those needs.
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:But especially now with this podcast
and the questions that you asked,
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:I'm recognizing the people pleasing
behaviors in my past relationships that
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:previously I was blaming the other person.
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:Jenny: Oh, interesting.
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:Okay.
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:Lil: Yeah.
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:Because as a people pleaser, I think
that you tend to minimize your needs
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:and even maybe compromise and sacrifice
your own well being for the other
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:person without them even asking.
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:You just do it.
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:And then me I expected
that to be reciprocated.
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:And when it wasn't reciprocated
I interpreted that as rejection
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:and withholding of love.
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:Now, on this side of the recovering
people pleasing journey, I'm realizing
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:that's not exactly how relationships work.
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:Yes,
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:Jenny: You can't see me right now
people, but I'm sitting here nodding
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:my head because yes, I can 100
percent relate to what you're saying.
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:Lil: Totally.
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:There was definitely a lot there where,
In past relationships when I was in my
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:early 20s that because I was expecting
the other person to reciprocate what I was
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:doing, which was minimizing my own needs
and compromising without them asking.
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:When they wouldn't reciprocate,
I would blame them for that.
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:Not knowing that it was an unhealthy
behavior because that's how I grew
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:up that was what was normal for me.
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:Especially in the last couple of days
that I've realized I've looked back on
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:those relationships where Felt for a
long time resentful against the other
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:person and even maybe blamed them
for the downfall of the relationship.
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:I'm realizing that It definitely takes
two, and if I had been more emotionally
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:aware I know that those relationships
would have ended anyway, but at least , if
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:I had been emotionally aware, I could have
communicated what I needed, and when I
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:realized that those needs were not going
to be met, I could have walked away.
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:I think that's the hardest part of The
people pleasing journey is like knowing
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:when to walk away from something.
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:Jenny: Oh gosh.
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:Yes.
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:I am the master of giving
people 5 million chances.
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:Lil: Yeah.
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:You don't want to lose that connection.
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:When you're a people pleaser,
that's how, I received love.
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:Growing up, I was an only child my
parents expected me to minimize my own
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:needs for the sake of their good time.
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:There was a lot of times where
we would go out to dinner or
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:whatever with their friends.
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:And even if it was a school night,
even if I was tired, even if I
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:wanted to go home, those were not
things that I could communicate
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:because then they would get upset.
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:And so for me to be the good child,
I had to minimize those needs.
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:And I thought that's how you
receive and exchange love.
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:Yes,
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:Jenny: somehow on Tik TOK, my
algorithm got into the eldest
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:daughter, good girl behavior.
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:Yeah.
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:It's not a tick tock.
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:I'm like, are you inside of my head?
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:And it's similar to what you're saying.
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:Only child ,eldest, same thing.
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:I can't even think about how many
times from various adults in my life
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:who said, Oh, Jenny's an old soul.
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:She could, she's so reliable.
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:I don't worry about her.
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:I worry about the other kids.
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:And that was considered a badge of honor.
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:They give awards for that,
like in the classroom, right?
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:You're a classroom leader!
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:You're the peacekeeper!
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:Yes, I know some of it are good
attributes, but also it's people pleasing!
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:Because you're taught to fall in line
and conform and suppress anything that
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:might make someone else uncomfortable.
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:Lil: Ah!
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:Suppress your own thoughts
and feelings and opinions for
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:the sake of keeping the peace.
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:Jenny: Oh gosh.
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:Have you had this experience as a
recovering people pleaser, that when
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:you finally have this realization of
hot damn, I've been censoring myself.
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:And you don't know how to
really fully express yourself.
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:Sometimes I swing the other way.
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:It'll be pent up and then , it'll
word vomit out of me or burst
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:out of me or maybe not handle
it in the best way because I'll
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:maybe lash out at the wrong time.
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:But it's because I'm still
learning that skill of speaking
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:my mind, or is that just me?
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:Lil: No, I think that's completely valid.
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:I feel like when you start to recognize
that behavior and you want to correct
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:it, there's times where you are able to
recognize it before you engage in it, but
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:then you engage in it anyway, and it's
like breaking an addiction just because
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:you recognize it before you engage in the
behavior doesn't mean that you've failed.
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:It just means that's just a
part of the healing process.
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:First part is to recognize it.
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:And when you, okay.
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:are able to recognize it and activate
that frontal lobe, then you're able
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:to act on it and hopefully act in
the way that is most aligned with
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:you the person that you want to be.
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:Jenny: I love you said that
it doesn't make you wrong.
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:Like you didn't mess up, basically,
if you notice that you're people
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:pleasing or noticing that you're
maybe responding and not the best way
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:and you don't fully catch yourself.
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:The fact that you noticed it
in the first place is a win.
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:I think that's huge because
another part of people pleasing
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:is being a perfectionist.
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:So if I can't win and get an A plus at
anti people pleasing, then I've failed.
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:It's so black and white
a lot of the times.
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:Lil: It really is.
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:Cause there's a, there's definitely
a lot of self judgment and criticism
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:that comes with people pleasing as well
because hindsight is always 20, 20.
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:And when you look back at an interaction,
you're like I could have done this better.
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:That's just part of learning how to come
out of this habit that you're having.
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:It's not gonna be like oh i realize i'm
people pleasing one day and the next
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:day i stop it is a long process that
has different stages and sometimes you
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:regress a little bit but the regression
is just To help you propel forward.
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:That a lot with babies when
they start to learn how to walk.
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:They'll take their first steps or they'll
start walking and then one day they'll
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:go back to crawling for a little bit.
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:Yep.
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:That's just a completely normal
part of developing a new skill.
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:Jenny: I like that.
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:Thank you for that clarity.
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:So whenever you're beating yourself
up listeners, don't do that.
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:Just think about the baby
is building his new skills.
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:You're literally rewiring your
brain one interaction at a time.
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:Totally.
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:Is there a particular moment in
time that you can think of that was
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:a turning point that just flipped
a switch for you and you're like,
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:hell no, I'm not doing this anymore.
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:Lil: I thought about this question
quite a bit and I honestly don't think
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:that there was a turning point for
me where I had a light bulb moment.
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:It was definitely very gradual as I
started to realize that, if someone
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:says no to my extension to an invitation
to like, not take it personal, I
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:think that was a big part of healing
that people pleasing tendency.
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:Because if I can give other people grace
for needing to recharge or needing to do
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:a rain check or maybe perhaps they don't
want to do the activity or whatever and
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:giving other people grace about that
and realizing that it's not about me,
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:then I can do that for myself as well.
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:And I can hope maybe that other people
are also not taking my boundaries or
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:my denial for an invitation personally.
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:That was a big part, I think,
of my people picking journey.
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:That's
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:Jenny: huge.
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:So diving into it, why do you think
it bothered you beforehand, before
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:this realization, if someone said no?
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:Lil: I think because
I took it so personal.
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:I always thought it was
something that I did, or that
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:I had to do something with me.
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:Oh, this person doesn't
want to hang out with me.
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:Or if they put up a boundary of I
don't like it when You do something
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:to realize that it really has not
a whole lot to do with me and more
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:with what the person is doing and
interpreting or what they're needing,
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:understanding that everybody has their
own needs and understanding that them
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:communicating that need is actually kind.
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:Oh yeah.
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:And it's healthy for our
relationship to move forward.
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:How is it kind?
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:What
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:Jenny: do you mean by that?
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:Lil: So for example, if I made plans with
a friend, and actually this happens to me
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:often, I'll make plans in advance with a
person and then the day comes and, maybe
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:I've been really busy for the last couple
of days, maybe I don't have enough sleep
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:and I'm just not in the best mood to go
and do that activity with that person.
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:Sometimes I'll have to reschedule
and say, I'm not feeling so good.
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:Can we reschedule?
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:And realizing that's more about how I'm
feeling and my needs and it has nothing
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:to do with that person I love my friend
and I want to hang out with you, but I
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:need to take care of me first so that
I can be in a good headspace so that we
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:can fully enjoy our time together, right?
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:So if I just decided to people please,
and not brain check and go, I might
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:even cause more harm because that
person might internalize my Not upbeat
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:mood as I don't want to be here when
in reality it's because I haven't met
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:a need that I need to meet for myself.
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:Jenny: Oh my gosh.
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:That was perfectly put.
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:So that's wonderful.
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:I love that so much.
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:It's true.
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:You're you want to be the best version
of you when you're with your friends
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:. Finding that balance between best version
of yourself for yourself, which would
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:be putting up the boundary and giving
yourself rest and then putting on the
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:best face you can for your friend.
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:That's perfect.
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:I love that so much and
not seeing it as rejection.
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:I guess maybe part of my story with people
saying no with people pleasing is that I
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:would give so much and my friendships and
relationships would feel so one sided.
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:Because I was abandoning
myself the whole friggin time.
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:I was like, I did this for this person
I went and did that, even though, blah,
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:blah, blah, I was feeling like crap dah.
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:And then I asked them to do one thing,
and they can't even do this for me.
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:It goes back to what you were saying
about they didn't sign up for me to do
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:all that, they didn't ask for me to
abandon myself and do stuff when I felt
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:like shit and everything like that.
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:I just went and did it and then
expected them to reciprocate and
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:then to receive that no would feel
like a little slap in the face.
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:Lil: That makes a lot of sense to
be honest, because That's how I feel
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:like I developed my people pleasing
tendencies in childhood because
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:that was how we exchanged love.
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:When you grow up and you expect that from
other people who maybe don't engage in
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:people pleasing, taking care of themselves
feels like they're rejecting you.
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:Jenny: It's like an outsider when
an outsider comes into life with a
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:family and they don't people please.
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:You're thinking, what are you doing?
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:We don't say no.
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:If someone has this family
gathering, you go unless you're
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:sick with COVID or pneumonia or your
legs broken, you're going right.
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:Yeah.
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:I don't feel good.
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:You can't make it.
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:Yeah.
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:Lil: Yeah, and then that
justification too, right?
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:Like it has to be something like
so major for you to be able to say
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:no to something when like filling
your own cup, it should be major
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:enough should be justified enough.
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:If I just need to be alone for a couple
hours, because that's what I need.
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:That's justification enough.
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:And I think a lot of the time as people
pleaser it doesn't feel like it because
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:we're so used to suppressing those needs.
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:And being just a little bit uncomfortable
for the sake of everybody else.
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:Jenny: Yes, spot on.
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:One thing I've noticed and one thing
I think is really important in this
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:journey is that just because I am where
I am in my healing journey doesn't
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:mean everyone else is where I am.
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:And I can't expect them to be where I am.
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:So I have butted heads with people and
I still do, and that will still happen.
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:And then they will butt heads with me
cause that's just human nature, but just
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:because I had this epiphany and all of
a sudden I decide I know what this word
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:boundaries means and I'm going to start
saying stuff differently doesn't mean
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:they necessarily are caught up yet.
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:And that's okay.
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:I think holding space
for people not judging.
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:Lil: It's definitely
always a work in progress.
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:I often will say being on
this side of healing that
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:doesn't mean that I'm healed.
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:It just means that I've overcome
some pretty large obstacles.
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:You never stop learning.
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:It's a work in progress from
when you're born until you die.
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:Jenny: I was just writing down what you
wrote, being on this side of healing.
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:I love that.
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:I love that phrase.
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:Lil: There's always little things
that we can do to be kinder to
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:ourselves and to the people around us.
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:Putting out boundaries at first, it
feels really selfish and then you
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:might not go about it in the best way.
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:I know that when I started putting
up boundaries with, my mom, for
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:example I definitely look back and I
wish that I could have handled that
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:better, but that was my first time,
and especially it was a pretty pretty
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:big milestone for me cause I'd never
put up a boundary with my parents ever.
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:For me to be hard on myself because
I didn't handle it perfectly.
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:I mean, That's silly, right?
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:Because, no one does anything
perfectly the first time they try it.
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:Jenny: Are there any things like
maybe techniques or habits that
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:you'd recommend that have helped you.
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:Like for me, I'll meditate or, do breath
work . How are you kind to yourself?
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:How do you set aside time for yourself?
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:Lil: That's a really good question.
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:Oftentimes, especially in the beginning,
when I was learning how to do this.
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:I would think a lot about child
me, and how some of the stuff that
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:little me went through that maybe
she wasn't quite as understood or
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:given the kindness that maybe she needed.
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:Cause I'm a highly sensitive person.
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:I've always been that way.
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:It was really hard actually to
admit that and be okay with it.
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:And even now I'm proud that I'm a
highly sensitive person, but for a
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:long time, it was a source of shame
because feeling things so deeply
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:it's not something that's praised
and it's often something that people
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:laugh at or would like to make fun of.
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:But going back to your question I
often try to think of little me and
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:the times when she should have been
treated with a little more kindness.
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:I go back to those memories and I
re parent myself in that moment and
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:think, what would little me, what
would she need to hear in order to
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:feel better about the situation?
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:And whatever comes out, it's usually some
form of gentle parenting is what I try
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:to implement in my life currently as a
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:Jenny: dog.
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:For folks who've never heard of that,
are you doing that through journaling,
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:through meditation, are you literally
talking out loud to yourself?
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:Oh, I
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:Lil: do it in all kinds of ways, yeah.
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:Because
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:Jenny: people might not be familiar with
this, especially if you've never been
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:to therapy, can you give some examples?
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:Lil: Yeah, when I started going to
therapy, I was so ready to heal.
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:So a lot of things happened very quickly
for me, but the biggest thing that helped
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:me was journaling, definitely just writing
things out as they come up in my head and
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:not worrying about how it reads , it's
just putting down your thoughts on paper.
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:It's like an emotional release
almost because you're putting it
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:out there and then you can go back
and read it and you'll notice things
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:that you wrote down that maybe you
didn't even realize you were feeling.
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:Or you can even maybe sometimes notice
patterns as you do it more and you
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:go back and reread it, you'll notice
patterns of behaviors or patterns of
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:how your parents chose to deal with
things and how that affected you and how
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:that is manifesting in your adult life.
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:So journaling was a
really big help for me.
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:But also going on walks,
it was very therapeutic.
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:I would go on walks with my dog by
myself, and I wouldn't listen to
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:anything, I would just walk and allow
my mind to wander, and a lot of times
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:that was really healing for me, because
I would be able to pinpoint the source
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:of some of my people pleasing behaviors.
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:Jenny: When you're
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:Lil: able to go back to the source,
most of the time, is childhood.
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:So when you're able to go back and
realize, Oh, I'm a people pleased
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:because, my parents did this thing.
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:Then you can heal that and you can
see that was just in my childhood.
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:That was a coping mechanism I developed.
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:I'm grateful for that coping mechanism
because it helped me survive my childhood.
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:And now I can release it and let it
go because it's no longer serving me.
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:I'm an adult now.
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:I can fight my own battles now.
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:Jenny: That was amazing.
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:It's spot on.
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:I guess one thing I want to add to is.
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:It's almost like you go through the phases
of grief when you're doing this healing,
404
:and one of them might be anger, and yes,
I know you might get angry at the parental
405
:figures, the adults who maybe set up
circumstances for you to have these coping
406
:mechanisms like you mentioned, and you
might get angry and frustrated about that.
407
:But I think it's important to not
point a finger and place blame to,
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:you might have those moments where you
have an adult hissy fit meltdown, of
409
:course, go ahead let it out, all right?
410
:But I have seen people get stuck in that
phase of their healing and you're not
411
:really healing, you're just activating
your ego and now your ego found another
412
:enemy and you're still the victim.
413
:That's not very empowering, right?
414
:Whereas what you said, you looked at
it analytically, you're like, okay.
415
:I see this, and this is the cause,
and now this is the effect, and now
416
:I don't want this neuron connection
in my brain anymore, so we're gonna
417
:replace it with something different.
418
:I like that.
419
:It's very it's more along the lines
of scientific, but more stoic, little
420
:stoicism, Buddhist approach to it.
421
:I like that.
422
:Lil: Yeah, totally.
423
:And it's not something that
came easily for me either.
424
:Now I can talk about it in a chronological
way and the steps that I took, but it
425
:wasn't like that in the beginning, I also
went through that stage of grief, because
426
:my dad actually he passed away in 2019.
427
:And yeah, with your loss.
428
:It sucked.
429
:I'm not gonna lie.
430
:I can't imagine.
431
:Yeah.
432
:Oh, yeah, it sucked real fucking bad,
but It was almost like a catalyst When
433
:I started going through the stages of
grief and I entered my angry stage, at
434
:first I was mad at the world and then
I was mad at him for dying and then All
435
:of these childhood memories started
to pop up like all of the positive
436
:ones because you start to reminisce
about, your parent and whatever.
437
:And along with those memories
came the not so good times, right?
438
:And so I was very angry for a really long
time about how my parents chose to handle
439
:certain things and I was so mad at them.
440
:Like, why couldn't you have been better?
441
:But the thing that we need to
remember is that the childhood
442
:wounds that your parents give you
are their own childhood wounds.
443
:Yes,
444
:Jenny: exactly.
445
:They're human.
446
:Lil: Exactly.
447
:That was a really big realization for
me , because I know for a fact that
448
:my dad did a much better job raising
me than his parents did with him.
449
:But that doesn't mean that
he didn't traumatize me.
450
:Of course he did.
451
:Yeah.
452
:But thinking about him
453
:as a child experiencing that trauma
that he then passed on to me was really
454
:eye opening and it was so much easier
to release the anger and to forgive
455
:him for that because he was also just
a little kid who developed those coping
456
:mechanisms that he then passed on to me.
457
:Jenny: Oh gosh, you that is so good.
458
:I'm so glad you brought that up.
459
:I think that helps to empathizing
with what our parents have gone
460
:through, like you said, and kind
of part of this process for me too
461
:was taking them off of a pedestal.
462
:Oh, it's my parents.
463
:No, they're humans.
464
:They're going to fuck up.
465
:They're going to make mistakes.
466
:They have their own stress and
trauma and troubles and all of that.
467
:And like you said, of course, some
of that's going to transfer to you.
468
:My mom and I talk about this a lot.
469
:My mom and I always get in philosophical
discussions, but we were talking
470
:about this recently about generational
wounds, I guess you'd say, or trauma.
471
:And we really thought about, like, how
much my mom has healed from what was given
472
:to her by her mom, but how my grandma
healed what was given to her by her mom,
473
:my great grandma, and so forth and so on.
474
:It really does improve if
you look at the big picture.
475
:People are doing their best.
476
:They're healing what they
can in their generation.
477
:And Now it's on us to do a little
bit more work and heal a little
478
:bit more and pass on a little
less trauma, I guess you'd say.
479
:I will say I'm so grateful to be
alive at this time because this
480
:podcast wouldn't have existed.
481
:Maybe it wouldn't even existed
20 years ago, 10 years ago, but
482
:definitely wouldn't be talked
about or even open to discussion.
483
:Like when my mom was a teenager in
twenties or thirties, definitely not.
484
:So that's where as an elder millennial,
I will pat myself on the back and
485
:say, I am part of the generation
who helped normalize mental health.
486
:Yeah, absolutely.
487
:I'm kidding, but it's true.
488
:We are the ones like who really
started Hey, it's okay to
489
:say this doesn't feel right.
490
:Or I don't like this or therapy's good.
491
:I should go to therapy or.
492
:Self care in general isn't selfish.
493
:It doesn't mean you're an asshole.
494
:Yeah,
495
:Lil: self care is not
496
:Jenny: selfish.
497
:We've been talking about some heavy stuff.
498
:Let's go a little lighter.
499
:I know you must have a story or two
about a success you had where you felt
500
:like a freaking rock star, where you
accomplished one of your people pleaser
501
:goals, felt like you're on cloud nine.
502
:You get the drill.
503
:What stories do you have
504
:Lil: for us?
505
:I can't believe I didn't think
of this story until literally
506
:20 seconds ago, which because
this is a huge story in my life.
507
:So a few months ago,
this was back in January.
508
:I was hanging out with some friends
that I hadn't known for very long.
509
:I was in Portland for a work
trip, and they invited me over,
510
:we were going to have dinner.
511
:But as we were hanging out,
the couple started making some
512
:pretty uncomfortable remarks.
513
:the aura in the room was very negative,
and I was very uncomfortable with
514
:the stuff that they were saying.
515
:They had actually picked me up from
my hotel and brought me over to
516
:their house, so I also didn't want
them to like, drive me back, and Oh,
517
:you felt trapped, that's the worst!
518
:I was like, trapped, and after a moment,
I was like, I don't have to be here.
519
:I don't have to take this.
520
:So I took my limited funds that I
had and I ordered myself an Uber.
521
:Good for you.
522
:Once the ride was confirmed,
I gathered all my shit and I
523
:was like, you know what guys?
524
:I'm going to head out.
525
:I'm not feeling well,
which was a lie, but yeah,
526
:Jenny: that's all right.
527
:You don't always have to go
guns blazing stirring the pot
528
:.
Lil: A good old easy phrase is the best way.
529
:Totally.
530
:, they wanted to know more.
531
:Like they kept asking me questions
like, Oh no, what's wrong.
532
:Do you want us to drive you back?
533
:And I was like, Nope, don't drive me back.
534
:I'm good.
535
:I'm just going to go.
536
:I didn't explain why I didn't
care what they thought about
537
:me, which is like huge for me.
538
:This was like the first time that I'd
ever done anything like that, where I
539
:left an uncomfortable situation without
giving explanations and without giving
540
:a fuck what they thought about me.
541
:Oh my God.
542
:Oh, I was like, adrenaline was surging.
543
:I was shaking everywhere.
544
:And so I go outside to wait for my Uber.
545
:It was supposed to be there
in two minutes, but it took
546
:like way longer than that.
547
:The woman ask me if I wanted
to talk or if I was okay.
548
:And I was like, Nope, my Uber
is going to be here in a minute.
549
:I wasn't rude to her, but
I also wasn't friendly.
550
:And I just said, I'm good.
551
:Please leave me alone.
552
:So she left.
553
:Thankfully, and my Uber arrived,
which was this lovely woman,
554
:which I was like, Oh, good.
555
:Like a girl.
556
:Thank you.
557
:Yeah.
558
:Yeah.
559
:Yeah.
560
:Unfortunately, but
561
:Jenny: yes, I totally get it.
562
:Lil: Yeah.
563
:Because I was distraught because it was
the first time I'd ever done anything like
564
:that, and I was feeling very emotional.
565
:So I enter this Uber, and
something I should note is
566
:that my, my dad and I use signs
567
:to communicate from
him from the afterlife.
568
:One of them is hummingbirds, and I
actually have a hummingbird tattoo.
569
:Oh, it's beautiful.
570
:Yeah.
571
:On my arm.
572
:And so I enter this Uber, and after
a minute, I look up and hanging
573
:from her rear view mirror, she had
two little crystal hummingbirds.
574
:Stop.
575
:Yeah.
576
:Oh my God.
577
:That's amazing.
578
:And that's when I fucking lost my shit.
579
:Falling in the back of this Uber.
580
:And this poor woman's Oh
my gosh, are you okay?
581
:And I told her, this was the first time
in my life I had the courage to leave
582
:a situation I was uncomfortable in
without caring to explain and without
583
:caring what they thought about me.
584
:And she said, good job is what she
told me, which it felt so good.
585
:Yeah.
586
:Oh my God.
587
:That's amazing.
588
:I told her, I was like, my dad and
I've been feeling like he's been around
589
:me and he loved hummingbirds and here
you are rescuing me from the situation
590
:with your crystal hummingbirds.
591
:And she goes, if that isn't confirmation
because my son who passed away
592
:five years ago loved hummingbirds.
593
:Oh my god, you're gonna make me cry.
594
:And that's why, yeah, that's
why she had the little crystal
595
:hummingbirds on her rear view mirror.
596
:It was just such a beautiful thing to not
only be like proud of myself for walking
597
:away from that situation, but it felt like
I was getting this beautiful blessing of
598
:being able to connect with this person.
599
:, with the hummingbirds and our
past loved ones oh my gosh.
600
:It was so powerful.
601
:Jenny: And the fact that she had
two hummingbirds, you said, right?
602
:Lil: Yeah.
603
:Jenny: Oh, it was like
her son and your dad.
604
:Oh my gosh.
605
:Yeah, I'm tearing up.
606
:Oh
607
:Lil: my
608
:Jenny: god.
609
:Wow.
610
:You can't make this stuff up.
611
:You just can't.
612
:Lil: I couldn't believe it.
613
:Jenny: You can't make
this spiritual stuff up.
614
:It's amazing.
615
:Lil: I honestly couldn't believe it
when it happened, and it was something
616
:that I was not expecting at all, but,
yeah, I definitely felt like my dad
617
:was like, clapping, applauding me from
the other side and said, You know what?
618
:Here's your reward.
619
:I'm gonna send you a person that
you're gonna feel safe with.
620
:And, you know I'm here for ya,
cause Here's the hummingbirds.
621
:Jenny: Wow.
622
:And to feel seen and heard and to know
that there are kind people out there
623
:too, that's a nice reminder that
they all aren't like those people who
624
:you were , trying to get away from.
625
:It was really
626
:Lil: interesting too, cause I
got back to my hotel room and
627
:I immediately blocked them.
628
:I was like, fuck that.
629
:You don't
630
:Jenny: know.
631
:Oh, I thought I was going to ask
you do you have to ever say that?
632
:See them again or
633
:Lil: no?
634
:Never.
635
:I don't even live in Portland, so like
I'll probably never see them again.
636
:But , they tried to call me, they like
messaged me and I was like, I'm not
637
:even gonna waste my time and energy
explaining myself to you because it was
638
:a boundary that I had already established
with them that they decided to cross.
639
:And so I was like, I'm not even
going to go there with you.
640
:Like block.
641
:Jenny: And they knew.
642
:They knew exactly what they were doing.
643
:Don't ask.
644
:Absolutely.
645
:You knew.
646
:Don't ask.
647
:Apologize.
648
:Yeah.
649
:Oh, the fact that you didn't
overexplain yourself is freaking huge.
650
:I feel like that you just graduated
people pleaser recovery high school with
651
:that because over explaining yourself
is like the go to people pleaser.
652
:Yeah.
653
:I don't know response.
654
:It's fallback habit, when you
put a boundary down, you feel
655
:like you have to explain yourself
because you're like, I did it, but
656
:wait, I don't want you mad at me.
657
:So this is why I'm doing
658
:Lil: Yeah, it was surprisingly
not hard that time.
659
:I think it was because I had that big
confirmation that I was doing the right
660
:thing that I didn't second guess myself
after, so that was super helpful.
661
:It's interesting, because that
night, I dreamt that I proposed
662
:to myself, and that I said yes.
663
:Oh my gosh, wow!
664
:It was it was a very powerful
experience, because it's yes, I'm
665
:finally, Committing to myself, and I'm
always going to choose myself, I'm not
666
:going to minimize my needs, or allow
people to cross my boundaries without
667
:walking away, because I need to choose
myself, first and foremost, always.
668
:Jenny: You have given us tons of
great advice and great scenarios
669
:that you've worked through.
670
:Is there any book or speaker or
event, whatever it may be that you
671
:would recommend that really helps
teach you these foundational skills?
672
:Lil: I think a really big eye opening
book for me was Adult Children
673
:of Emotionally Immature Parents.
674
:Jenny: Oh, I've never heard of
675
:Lil: it.
676
:, I Listened to it a few years ago.
677
:I probably need a refresher now, but
it was really interesting to be able to
678
:see how parenting styles and behaviors
affect a child and how that manifests
679
:in adulthood and the flip side of what
is a better way to handle those things.
680
:It also touches on how to
essentially gentle parent your own
681
:parents to help you have a more
healthy relationship with them.
682
:I think that everyone who has had
emotionally immature parents should
683
:listen to or read that book, because
it was really eye opening for me.
684
:Jenny: Amazing.
685
:Okay.
686
:And it is posted in the show notes.
687
:So y'all can just click on the link
and see what we're talking about.
688
:Thank you so much for recommending that.
689
:Lil: One thing that I heard this saying a
while ago and it was very profound for me.
690
:It goes, you may be the sweetest peach on
the tree, but not everybody likes peaches.
691
:Ah, yes.
692
:That's so
693
:Jenny: good.
694
:Lil: It is.
695
:It's amazing because you can alter
yourself and minimize yourself
696
:all you want, but you're not
going to be liked by everybody.
697
:And that's okay.
698
:When you experience rejection from
other people it's redirection to
699
:help you find your actual tribe,
the people who will love you and
700
:accept you just the way that you are.
701
:And if you continue to try to
change yourself or minimize yourself
702
:to appease those who don't like
peaches, you're never going to find
703
:Jenny: your tribe.
704
:. I'm writing down what you just wrote.
705
:Rejection is a redirection.
706
:Lil: When we take rejection so
personal, it stops us from moving
707
:forward to where we're supposed to go.
708
:And actually that reminds me, there is
one more book that I'd like to recommend.
709
:Are you going to say the four agreements?
710
:Jenny: Yes.
711
:I didn't mean to steal your
thunder, but I just had this
712
:feeling of things you were saying.
713
:I'm like, Oh my God, be
impeccable with your words.
714
:Don't make assumptions.
715
:I had a feeling you'd read that.
716
:Yes.
717
:Lil: That was amazing.
718
:It's like you read my mind.
719
:The Four Agreements was amazing.
720
:It really does help you see things
through in a different perspective.
721
:And the practice of not taking
things personal is difficult,
722
:especially if it's something that
you've been doing over a long time.
723
:But I think it definitely goes hand
in hand with people pleasing behavior.
724
:Because when you're not taking things
personal, then you're not worried about
725
:other people taking things personal.
726
:Because if they do, that's
something that they need to work on.
727
:Yes.
728
:And it has nothing to do with you.
729
:That's the thing that has also really
helped me with my people pleasing.
730
:Nothing ever has anything to do with me.
731
:Everyone else, including
myself, is always projecting.
732
:So I'm not going to worry
about people taking what I said
733
:wrong or taking it personal.
734
:If it's the right person, they'll
either understand or they will ask
735
:me to clarify and ask questions.
736
:Jenny: Exactly, you hit it spot on.
737
:I always try to run my actions
through the four agreements too.
738
:It's am I being impeccable with my words?
739
:And did I do my best in that interaction?
740
:If I did those two things then
I'm not going to feel bad.
741
:I wasn't an asshole.
742
:Maybe my best was only 50
percent of what I'm capable of.
743
:But in that space and time where
I was mentally, emotionally,
744
:physically, did I do my best?
745
:Okay.
746
:And if not, like humble
yourself and say, you're sorry.
747
:I think the other side of it too, is it's
not a permission slip to go out guns a
748
:blazing and be an asshole to people either
but I totally get what you're saying.
749
:Exactly.
750
:You can't take it personally,
which yeah that's hard.
751
:And,
752
:Lil: to give others and yourself grace,
people are going to make mistakes,
753
:someone might step on my triggers too.
754
:And I might not act or react the way
that I want to be, but that happens.
755
:And to know and understand
that everyone has their own
756
:buttons that need to be healed.
757
:And maybe perhaps.
758
:Sometimes they get pushed, I think
that's a big part of not taking things
759
:personal because everyone is healing.
760
:Everyone's got their own story.
761
:Everyone's got different things going on.
762
:So giving them grace and giving
yourself grace for when you do mess up.
763
:That's a huge part of healing too.
764
:Definitely.
765
:Jenny: This is reminding me, I
feel like this is a good place to
766
:tell this quick little, parable,
proverb, it's a little story.
767
:It's about this Zen master who was
out in a boat in the middle of a lake.
768
:Have you heard this before?
769
:I don't think so.
770
:I think, I can't remember
where I read this.
771
:I did not write this.
772
:This is very old.
773
:It's like a, I think it's a Chinese
proverb I think I read this in The
774
:Power of Now from Eckhart Tolle.
775
:Don't quote me on that.
776
:But anyway, the short version of
it is there's this Zen master, so
777
:you're thinking, meditates all the
time, very peaceful, very calm, very
778
:demure, as they would say on TikTok.
779
:Very demure, very
cutesy, very calm, right?
780
:Very mindful.
781
:So he just, he gets up early at
the sunrise and decides to take
782
:his wooden boat out to the middle
of the lake for the sunrise to
783
:meditate and there's no one around.
784
:It's very peaceful.
785
:Sounds amazing.
786
:So he goes out there in
the middle of the lake.
787
:He's floating on this boat.
788
:His eyes are closed
because he's meditating.
789
:And then all of a sudden this other
boat slams into his boat, sends him
790
:rocking and he instantly gets angry.
791
:And this mind goes to who do
you think you are in this entire
792
:lake and you bump into my boat?
793
:Don't you see I'm meditating?
794
:This is my version of it.
795
:But then he opens his eyes and he
sees that the other boat is empty.
796
:And then he realizes that the anger
is within him, not outside of him.
797
:The anger is within
him, not outside of him.
798
:When I read that, That changed my life.
799
:For those of you who are not catching
it, what it means is that the whole
800
:world is constantly bumping into you.
801
:And if it agitates you, it's because
there's a little spark of something that
802
:needs to be healed within you, right?
803
:The anger or frustration, all
the feeling, any emotion is
804
:within, it's not outside of you.
805
:So if you're taking things personally,
that's a sign that there's something
806
:within you that isn't feeling heard,
seen, that needs to come to the
807
:surface to be examined and healed.
808
:Lil: Absolutely.
809
:100%.
810
:Doing those little check ins with
yourself when you start feeling a
811
:negative feeling, whether that is anger,
jealousy, frustration, whatever it is.
812
:A lot of the time I think we
tend to attribute it it's because
813
:this person is doing something.
814
:Jenny: Yes.
815
:But
816
:Lil: when we go back and we do that
little bit of a self reflection and
817
:try to get to the root of why something
like that is frustrating, you'll find
818
:a lot of the time that it's like you
said, something that you need to heal.
819
:Jenny: When you start looking at
things like that, it really does
820
:help you take some more personal
responsibility, but also I feel that
821
:is what empowers you because you feel
helpless if it's the outside world.
822
:Causing your pain.
823
:The outside world's always
going to be a pain in the ass.
824
:So you gave away all your power.
825
:But if you look inward and realize
that's where everything lies,
826
:now you can do some changing.
827
:Lil: I actually have a
quick example about that.
828
:I'm training this new person
at work who took my old job.
829
:And I found myself getting frustrated
the other day because I had explained
830
:something to her and then she
didn't do it or something like that.
831
:And I was getting like
annoyed at her and stuff.
832
:But when I was
833
:truly honest with myself, I was
really more annoyed because she's
834
:actually really efficient and she's
a really hard worker and I was
835
:feeling threatened that maybe she was
doing a better job in that position
836
:than I was when I was in that job.
837
:Oh, interesting.
838
:And so it has absolutely nothing
to do with her at all and really
839
:more about my own insecurity of was
I doing as good a job as she is?
840
:Jenny: That's some deep reflection.
841
:That's huge.
842
:Not everyone is at that point to
be able to handle that, right?
843
:That's amazing.
844
:Lil: It definitely took a lot of practice
and, it, you get to it by going through
845
:whatever resistance you're feeling.
846
:Because I feel like at first, my
instinct was always to deny that.
847
:I was having envious feelings because
maybe I was too proud to admit
848
:that I was having those feelings
because, oh my gosh, I'm so zen.
849
:I'm so healed.
850
:But no it's always a work in progress.
851
:as I practice it more and more, it's
more automatic now when I have a negative
852
:feeling bubble up, and it's more automatic
my process of looking inward, but it
853
:definitely took a lot of effort at first.
854
:It's hard, and it's almost like being
In front of a mirror looking at things
855
:that maybe you feel shame about and
that's really hard to be face to face
856
:with the things that you feel shame
about, but when you're able to move
857
:past it, forgive yourself and do better,
it really opens up a huge door for
858
:healing and internal healing evolvement.
859
:Jenny: There's definitely a payoff
at the end through the suffering.
860
:There's light at the end of the tunnel.
861
:And sometimes you'll
regress and it's fine.
862
:That's why this podcast
is called Recovering.
863
:Doesn't say recovered.
864
:I don't think I'll ever be recovered.
865
:I always go back to brain science.
866
:You're rewiring your brain.
867
:And for me, I'm 41.
868
:This has been 41 years of
repetitive belief systems.
869
:It's not just going to change overnight.
870
:Those neuron connections are hard wired.
871
:So it's going to take a lot of repetition
the other way to disengage that and
872
:make the other one the dominant path.
873
:I asked all of my guests.
874
:What is their bumper sticker statement?
875
:What is their piece of advice
that they put on a bumper sticker?
876
:But I feel like you
already dropped that gem.
877
:What was it again?
878
:Lil: My mantra that I think will help a
lot of people cause it helps me a lot is
879
:you may be the sweetest peach on the tree.
880
:But not everybody likes peaches.
881
:Jenny: Yes.
882
:It's so good.
883
:I can visualize it with a peach tree.
884
:It's perfect.
885
:I love that so much.
886
:Yeah.
887
:And there are peach pickers out there
and they might like a bushel of peaches,
888
:but you don't have to get hung up on
the people who like apples or pears.
889
:I love it.
890
:It's a great analogy.
891
:.
Lil: There's a tribe out there for everybody.
892
:You just got to find the right one.
893
:So don't hang your hat on the ones
that it's just not right for you.
894
:Exactly.
895
:This was super cool.
896
:And I love the conversation and this was
897
:Jenny: great.
898
:Thank you for being vulnerable and
sharing your stories and your struggles
899
:and how you persevered through them.
900
:And the fact that you made
it an empowering perspective
901
:of I'm still healing.
902
:It's not a weakness.
903
:It's a strength.
904
:I think that's a huge
message that you shared.
905
:I'm grateful for you for doing that.
906
:Thank you.
907
:Lil: It's a lot harder to heal, I
think, and to be vulnerable than it
908
:is to just avoid it and move forward.
909
:Yes.
910
:But the payoff is worth it.
911
:Oh my gosh.
912
:The payoff is so amazing.
913
:It's so empowering If you've never
back into your own cup when you first
914
:start doing it, that shit's addicting.
915
:Like I, there's just absolutely
no way that I will never
916
:not pour into my own cup.
917
:Because I've spent way too much
of my life not doing that, and
918
:now that I've done it, it feels
so good that I'm never going back.
919
:Jenny: It's one of those things
like you can't unknow it.
920
:You can't unsee it.
921
:You can't un experience it.
922
:Yep.
923
:You're inspiring me to do that.
924
:I've still struggled
sometimes with balance.
925
:It's hard being a business
owner and finding time for
926
:yourself, but you're right.
927
:It's really important.
928
:Lil: I always think of , are
you into tarot at all?
929
:Yeah.
930
:Jenny: Tarot and I like Oracle decks
too, like angel cards and stuff.
931
:Lil: Totally.
932
:Yeah.
933
:one of my cards that I really like
is temperance, a temperance card.
934
:Cause she's balancing.
935
:She's balancing all of the elements
along with having one foot in the
936
:ground and one foot in the divine.
937
:One of the quotes that I had in that
book, for my deck it says, The difference
938
:between an amateur and a professional is
that the professional makes it look easy.
939
:Yeah.
940
:Balancing all of the human things, It's
difficult, and you're gonna mess it up.
941
:When you see other people who
seemingly are really good at balancing
942
:it, it's because probably they
have a lot of practice doing it.
943
:So that's all you need,
is just more practice.
944
:Jenny: I think that's a
perfect point to end on.
945
:Don't have to do everything at once.
946
:Just start small.
947
:Lil: You don't have to see the whole
staircase to take the first step.
948
:Jenny: Exactly.
949
:I appreciate you taking time to share
your stories and speak with me today.
950
:This has been amazing.
951
:I'm so glad to have met you
from half a country away.
952
:Lil: Yeah.
953
:Super cool.
954
:Thank you for having me.
955
:This was lovely.
956
:Thank you.