Episode 19

Being Misunderstood

Episode 19: The Art of Being Misunderstood - Embrace the Mystery!

Welcome to The Mirror Project!

Welcome to The Mirror Project! We’re your hosts, Christine and Alexandra. Today, we're diving into the world of misunderstandings. Ever feel like no one gets you? Us too! We’ll share our stories from being chronic people pleasers to appreciating the beauty of being misunderstood. It’s going to be a lively ride!

Stay Connected

Before we delve into today's riveting topic, make sure to hit that like, subscribe, or follow button on your favorite listening platform. Let's make this journey together

Being Misunderstood

A short video from Annie Rose Nelson (@annierose.nelson) caught our attention. She said: "My life got easier once I realized it is not my responsibility to convince you to choose me or beg you to like me. I have decided to stop over-explaining myself and start getting used to people misunderstanding me instead." We discuss our reactions to this empowering perspective and how it resonates with our own experiences. *We have no affiliation with this creator, just enjoy her video.

Recovering People Pleasers

The trap of people pleasing and how we have people-pleased to the point of losing sight of what we truly want. Finding ourselves and our journey to understanding why we became people pleasers in the first place.The strategies and tools we are using to break free from this pattern.

Engage with Us on Socials

Craving more of our company? Join the fun over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Dive deeper into our world and engage with us on a whole new level!

Evolution

How we are healing and moving forward. We discuss our evolution from needing approval to embracing misunderstandings, though we are not quite there yet. Q&A Time: Would we ever truly be okay being misunderstood? We ask each other this crucial question and share our honest thoughts.

Closing Thoughts

And that's a wrap! Misunderstandings are part of life, but they’re not our burden to bear. Embrace the mystery and let it be part of your evolution. Thanks for joining us! Next week, we’ll dive into the world of yoga with a special guest, Victoria. Keep reflecting and growing.

Support Our Journey

Enjoying our content? Consider supporting us through our Buy Us a Coffee page! Your support fuels our passion for these conversations.

Join Us Next Time  

Don't forget to like, subscribe, or follow on your preferred platform. Until next time, let's keep the conversation going. See you in the next episode!

Transcript
Christine:

Hello and welcome to the Mirror Project.

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We are your host, Christine,

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Alexandra: And Alexandra,

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Christine: and we're

thrilled you're joining us.

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Today we're diving headfirst into

the world of misunderstandings.

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Ever feel like you're speaking

in riddles no one else gets?

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Us too.

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We're going to share our personal

stories from our days as chronic people

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pleasers to our newfound appreciation

for the beauty of being misunderstood.

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Buckle up.

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It's going to be a lively

and insightful ride.

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Alexandra: Before we delve into today's

riveting topic, make sure to hit that

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like subscribe or follow button on

your favorite listening platform.

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Take a moment to do it now

before it slips your mind.

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Trust us.

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We're not getting started without you.

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Let's make this journey together.

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Christine: All right, so let's dive in.

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We're going to first talk about

being misunderstood and this

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all started for us and what.

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inspired this episode was

something we shared with each

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other on Instagram as per usual.

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Alexandra: I feel like that

should just be standard now.

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If we say a video.

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I think everyone is going to

assume we got it off of Instagram.

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Christine: I know we should start,

you know, what we should start is the,

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a channel on Instagram, and we just

share it with everybody now so they can

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see our craziness.

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Um,

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Alexandra: Join our hamster

wheels and our heads, people.

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Christine: Yeah, it's crazy sometimes,

but anyway, the video that I can't

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remember who shared with who,

but it's comes from Annie Rose

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Nelson at Annie Rose dot Nelson.

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And it says, my life got easier

once I realized it's not my

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responsibility to convince you to

choose me or beg you to like me.

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I have decided to stop overexplaining

myself and start getting used to

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people misunderstanding me instead.

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So, alexandra, what do you

think of this off the bat?

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I would love to know.

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Alexandra: Wow.

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This really hit me.

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I don't remember who shared it,

but I think the first time I

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watched it, I just went, oof.

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Whoa, because I think I often

get so up in my head about

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what I say, how I say things.

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Will it hurt somebody?

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Will it be misunderstood?

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Am I explaining myself clearly enough?

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And it's something I think it's

something I tend to get from my mother

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with the over explaining, right?

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I have to over explain myself and

that's something I've been consciously

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trying to work on recently is I

think Christine, you and I have both

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seen the movie The Spy Who Dumped Me

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And Mila Kunis character's friend

was trying to stop her from over

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explaining and just it's just you

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Christine: it comes to lying.

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Yes.

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Alexandra: She was like,

what'd you do this weekend?

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Oh, I bought a boat.

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And she's that's it.

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You're out.

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Just, I bought a boat.

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So that's my kind of thing.

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Which tied into this, it's just okay,

I realized it's not my responsibility

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to make other people understand me.

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And I don't mean being cryptically

vague about life, but I do mean if

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somebody doesn't get who I am or

what I'm saying, then that's okay.

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I don't have to overexert myself

and overextend myself to explain

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that because then I just get

continually more up in my head.

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So I tried to think about both.

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But uh, you know, start getting used

to people, but start getting used to

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people, misunderstanding me instead.

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That is definitely something

I need more practice at.

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So Christine, where did this hit you?

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How, How did it hit you?

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Christine: So I think it's so

beautifully put and short and sweet,

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but the part that got me was, it's

not my responsibility to convince you

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to choose me or beg you to like me.

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And I think, you know, that

just really resonated with me.

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Not, and I'm trying to figure out why,

because in once I reached my adult life,

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like college and even after college, I

don't know if I care as much about caring

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what people think or like wanting them

to like me, but it definitely speaks

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to, I think Little Christine, who always

wanted, I just remember I went to, as I've

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Mentioned before small Catholic school

not big high school, and it was all girls.

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So just those two environments being

with the same people for so long

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at an elementary and middle school.

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It just, I just, I remembered feeling

kind of lonely because I had a couple

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of friends, but it wasn't the warmest

environment I would say, and I think I

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struggled a lot with And I think a lot of

people do when they're younger, struggle

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with wanting to be liked and like changing

how you who you truly are to be liked.

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And that's what I observed in a

lot of the peers around me, but

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that was never how I functioned was

like changing who I was to fit in.

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And I really, as we mentioned in our, Last

couple episodes ago with our moms my mom

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shared that she really instilled in me and

my sisters embracing us embracing who we

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genuinely are and not like hiding that.

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And, you know, while that's such

a beautiful sentiment and I'm so

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grateful for it now, it really was

kind of what ostracized me, I think.

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a little bit when I was younger, and

I only know this now as an adult, but

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reflecting on that, I was like why

am I like, why don't they like me or

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why am I being left out of things?

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Why am I made to feel bad about myself?

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And I think it's because the kids

around me were hiding who they were.

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And so, maybe seeing someone who isn't

doing that, they were like, trying to put

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them down to make themselves feel better.

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I don't know.

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But, I digress.

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That's

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really the part of the quote

that, that struck me the most.

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Alexandra: no, and it's interesting

that you say that, right?

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Because that is something, you know,

I think I struggled with internally.

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It's that I, young Alexandra, and to some

extent, Who I am today, I think does kind

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of get wrapped up in the feel like I have

to make it easy for people to pick me.

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I think

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we can call it insecurity and we can

call it me being so up in my head

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and have been for a very long time.

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As we've talked about many times on

this show that I tend to overthink

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things is I wanted to be liked.

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I wanted to be popular, but to be

honest, I've probably gone my own way.

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That you know, almost didn't

allow myself to do things.

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So I think there is still a part of me

that's I want to be picked and I want

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people to like me, but I probably need

to let go of, it's not my responsibility

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to make people like me And by shedding

some of that, maybe the right people

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will start to come in my life.

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You know, it's not necessarily people

who will take advantage of that

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need because they don't necessarily

say that out loud like, Oh my

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gosh, pick me, pick me, pick me.

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But it's more of like you said,

Christine, like I would change myself

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to make other people happy and very

adaptable, moldable in that way.

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I think in part because I am such an

empath and as a child, I just sucked at

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people's emotions, positive and negative.

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So I kind of did become

what people needed.

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And yeah, realizing that I don't have

to make people like me, that's a,

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like a world changing view for

myself, . So definitely something

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I struggle with and I'd like to

be a bit more confident with like.

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you can take me or leave

me, it does not matter.

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Christine: Yeah, absolutely.

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I, and I think just to bring it full

circle for me with this quote, the idea

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of being misunderstood is something.

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I've really started to reflect more on

as an adult and trying to get to the

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heart of like, okay, what is it truly?

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What is it about being misunderstood that

makes people uncomfortable or frustrated?

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And how

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do we let that go?

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Is it something, cause I think there's

a, there's an aspect to this where

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I think being misunderstood isn't.

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Is for me a chance for me to dig

deeper and figure out okay, how can

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I better communicate to people my

thoughts and feelings and opinions.

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But after that point, if I

feel like I have expressed.

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My thoughts, feelings, and opinions

to in a way that accurately reflects

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how I am feeling on the matter

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and they still misunderstand.

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And that's not my problem.

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That's their problem.

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So it's kind of interesting, something

that I've, as I've become an adult

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figuring out okay, being okay with, you

know, Misunderstanding, but there is

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sometimes an area of where, well, I don't

know if I fully understand what I'm like.

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I feel like I'm misunderstanding

myself and digging deeper.

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And why am I feeling this way?

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Or, you know, whenever I'm having

a debate or conversation with

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a friend or a family member.

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And it's the first time I'm actually

talking on a thought or an idea.

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And it's like, well, I'm still trying

to figure out, I know I have an

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opinion and a feeling on the matter,

but I'm still trying to articulate it

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and figure out like what where I am.

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So something to dive in more into

later this episode, but yeah,

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those are my initial thoughts.

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Do you have anything

else, Alexandra on this?

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Alexandra: so as you were talking,

I almost was picturing like a

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continuum of conversation, right?

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And dialogue of being perfectly understood

to being perfectly misunderstood.

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And I really did not think of it kind of

as a continuum until you were talking.

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And it's yes, you can do

all that you can to be

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as understood as possible, right?

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To clear.

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If you know your own thoughts,

because I know you've mentioned

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sometimes you're like, at what

point do you, do I lose myself?

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But let's say you get to a point where

you're like, I know what I'm saying.

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I know what I mean.

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And I'm conveying that clearly now

you've kind of come to the middle of the

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continuum, but the other person may not

be putting into the work to meet you.

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Near the center.

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And I think we both have the

tendency to then go, okay, let me

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do more than my fair share in this

conversation and over explain to

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meet the other person's deficient

understanding of the conversation.

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So I just, as you were talking,

I was like, wow, that was a

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really clear picture in my head.

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And I don't think I'd ever really thought

of it that way of okay, so I'm going

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more because somebody is not meeting me.

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Christine: Yeah, exactly.

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And I think I'm at a point where it

depends on who I'm talking to, right?

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If it's a family member or somebody

I love, a friend, if there's a

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misunderstanding, like I care about

this person in our relationship,

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so I want to work to resolve that.

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But if it's somebody,

like a coworker, someone.

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An

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acquaintance, someone on the

street misunderstandings happen.

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It's part of life.

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And don't sweat the small stuff, I guess.

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It's something that

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I am constantly trying to remember.

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Craving more of our company?

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Join the fun over on Instagram, TikTok,

and YouTube at Mirror Project Pod.

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Dive deeper into our world and

engage with us on a whole new level.

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Don't miss out on the excitement.

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Alexandra: I feel like that's a

great roll into our next topic of

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recovering from people pleasing, right?

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So I feel like you briefly mentioned

this, people being people pleasers, people

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pleasing so much to the point that it's

hard to distinguish what we even want.

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What's your experience with that beyond

what you already briefly touched upon?

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Right.

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Christine: I have, I've noticed in myself,

and I think It's something I've reflected

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on in people close to me and around me

that I do sometimes, it's easier for me to

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go along with what somebody else

wants than to really think, stop and

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think is this what I really want?

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And I, people do challenge

me on it sometimes and it's

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what do you want, Christine?

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You know, there's a part of me that's

well, I don't know what I want, but I

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feel like I have to, sometimes it's a

matter of well, I feel like I have to

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give you an answer right away, depending

on what the situation is or or just

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being like truthful and I don't really

want to do this and that's an answer

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to

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Alexandra: I feel like, Christine,

you would say that you're a very laid

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back, kind of go with the flow person

and I think sometimes that can come

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into conflict a little bit, right?

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And I'm thinking of oh, if I'm

trying to be a bit more go with the

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flow, but I really don't want to do

something, you know, that's where

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like the people pleasing kind of goes.

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Wait, what do I do?

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Christine: yeah,

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Alexandra: To go with the flow.

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This is who I am, but now I need to please

people and they're asking for something.

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What?

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It's like you're, like

a little brain spaz.

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Christine: Yeah.

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And it's

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I have that element.

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I have that aspect to my personality,

which is yeah, I'll go with the flow.

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Like I'm not picky usually

I'll add that caveat there,

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but also it's I also have some

relationships where I'm the one

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that if I don't make a decision,

nothing's going to, so it's an

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interesting, it's interesting where.

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My people pleasing pops up.

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I will say like when it comes to my

family or when it comes, I think the

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biggest area that I struggle with

people pleasing is work, because I think

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a lot of people can relate to this.

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When I first started working, the

feeling of imposter syndrome, I

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definitely have struggled with the

feeling of I'm lucky to be here.

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I'm lucky to be.

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Offer the job, not that they're lucky

that like, they're lucky to have me.

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I'm qualified to be here and I'm

eager to share and bring to the table

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my expertise on them on X, Y, and Z.

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So that's the area in my adult life

that I feel like I have struggled

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the most with when it comes to

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people pleasing.

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Alexandra: Have there been any

recent specific scenarios that

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you feel comfortable sharing?

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Christine: I think the most recent

would be the, my last position.

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I left about.

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almost a year ago.

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I,

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I feel like another part of

who I am is I'm very loyal.

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I have a lot of integrity when it

comes to something I care about.

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I put my heart and soul into it.

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And

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if I'm not careful, that's

easily taken advantage of.

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And I say that because I feel

like something I've learned if

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One of the big lessons I took

away from that experience was,

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it's sad to say, but I'm the

only one who's looking out

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for me at the end of the day.

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Yes, I have people in my life, family,

friends who care for me and want the

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best for me, but the person who is 100

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percent has my back

all the time is myself.

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So if I don't

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stick up for myself and I don't,

and things can happen, you

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could be taken advantage of.

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And that's sort of where I found myself.

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And because I had so much invested

in those, that professional

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relationship, there was also a

personal relationship aspect to it.

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I just was like,

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Suffering in silence

because I cared so much.

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And this was something I think

I was attached to the idea

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of what I wanted it to be.

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And it was, it started to

become the opposite of that.

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And I think I was still hanging on

because I, I had this idea in my head.

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Sorry if I'm sort of

veering off topic here, but

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Alexandra: No, that makes a lot of

sense, because when you said that, I

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was like, oh, wow, I have done that.

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when what you said about being.

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More attached to the idea of

something, and that's why you

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stay definitely a few things in my

life where I'm like, Oh my gosh.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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Christine: yeah,

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Alexandra: Can see where I did that.

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Christine: Right, right.

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I also feel like I have to catch myself

because I don't want to fall into the

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habit of being a yes, like a yes ma'am or

yes man type of person and what I mean by

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that if that's not clear, like if some,

if somebody comes to me and asks something

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of me A boss or a manager or something.

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And instinctually I might

be like, Oh yeah, sure.

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But stopping and thinking well, is this

something that one is my responsibility

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and two, is it the best way to go about

it and not being afraid to offer up

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suggestions of Oh, what if we did this or

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you know, try to try doing it

this way instead, because I

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think it is easy to be that.

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Yes.

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Yes.

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That Yes Man person but I think a lot

of people, employers, might value,

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what should value your opinions.

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They want to know.

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So,

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Alexandra: Yeah.

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And particularly if you have that respect

for a supervisor or An employer that

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kind of relationship and you invest

into that relationship sometimes when

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somebody asks you to do something

that I don't know, cases where like

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I haven't felt comfortable doing

because it's outside my wheelhouse.

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Not that I'm unwilling to learn.

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I totally am.

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Maybe on the timeline it's different

or it's already so much on my plate,

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but I don't feel like I can say no.

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I definitely see that's where the

people pleasing and it's like I, like

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Christine, will suffer in silence or

irritation and frustration because

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now I've got this other thing on my

plate that I have to take care of

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on top of everything else because I

didn't feel like I have the ability

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or the right to say no to my boss.

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Or know to someone of a higher level where

I work and just say, I would love to help.

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I do not have space on my plate.

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I just don't feel like

I can say that, which.

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Maybe more of a reflection of the growth I

need to work on and improvement, but yeah,

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that's where it's oh, I need to do this.

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I need to please people.

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I need to continually prove to the

people above me that I am Confident

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that I am good at my job that I

can do things So definitely so

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Christine: Yeah.

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Alexandra: where would you say?

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Looking back, you first noticed the

tendency to be a bit more of a people

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pleaser, to kind of fall into that role.

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Christine: I guess it's

always kind of been there.

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I think a part of it is

I have that aspect to me.

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That is go with the flow.

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Don't cause too many waves.

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Really I've always sort of been that way

and I think it's just sort of snowballed.

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And as I've gone and gotten into my

adult life, as I've started working and

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being faced with situations where like

you're, When you speak up for yourself

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and that feeling of vulnerability and

uncomfortability you know, it was easier

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to like, Ignore it, suffer in silence.

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And so I think it's sort of just

has snowballed over the years.

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And with this last job

situation I've found myself

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in, it kind of snuck up on me.

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I think like I kept sort of writing things

off or like brushing things off that

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sort of was like, looking back on it.

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I don't think if I had noticed

those things and not sort of.

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Ignored the signs sooner.

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I'm, it may have been ended

and ended very differently.

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Who knows?

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But yeah, I guess, I don't know.

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I guess I've always, it's always

been kind of a part of me, but I'm

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trying to think like, when did it

become what it has become today?

359

:

What about you?

360

:

What about you, Alexandra?

361

:

Alexandra: I'd say that

362

:

it's probably been there for

a long time in the sense of

363

:

just wanting to help people.

364

:

And I remember back to kindergarten

365

:

feeling like somehow it was my

responsibility to take care of

366

:

people, make sure that they were okay.

367

:

You know, I had mentioned that I did

grow up an only child and that I call

368

:

people and really close friends like

Christine and Simmi, my sisters, because

369

:

I do genuinely see them that way.

370

:

I did grow up as an only child so I

didn't have siblings in my space, but

371

:

I would happily share anything with

anyone if they just asked and probably

372

:

to my own detriment in many ways.

373

:

You know, and I think as I went up through

grades, schools, you know, people would

374

:

come to me and then it felt like I ended

up being people's therapist because

375

:

it's, I thought that's what they needed

and before I really understood what was

376

:

happening, not only was I just being a

listening ear for them, but I was ended

377

:

up taking their negative emotions from

them and I, they would leave feeling

378

:

amazing and great and I would feel Just

379

:

terrible and then I felt compelled

the next time they were down or

380

:

about something not feeling great,

that I had to let them, that I had

381

:

to make them feel better that, you

know, I was responsible for that.

382

:

And I think I'm going to do that now.

383

:

And it's just you know, when I try to

set boundaries and say no, I can't give

384

:

somebody more than this and, or I'm not

going to do something that would please

385

:

somebody because I'd done it in the

past when I don't have anything to give.

386

:

It's very uncomfortable.

387

:

Like not only being misunderstood

and saying sorry, I can't and

388

:

people going, well, but you've

done it before in the past.

389

:

You've helped before.

390

:

Well, you can do it.

391

:

I know I can.

392

:

I just mean not to.

393

:

And so that's very difficult.

394

:

So I think Christine, like you, it's just.

395

:

A huge part of who I am and you're like,

396

:

Oh, wow.

397

:

I'm realizing how unhealthy,

you know, it is for me and my

398

:

body and my own mental sanity.

399

:

And also putting, continually

putting myself last.

400

:

So

401

:

it's,

402

:

Christine: Yep.

403

:

I feel that, you know, it's funny

you sorry, just one thing I want to

404

:

jump in based on what you're saying, like

that was resonating so much with me is

405

:

I definitely feel like for the longest

time I would take on, I would be, you

406

:

know, cause I, I care for the people I

have in my life, friends, loved ones.

407

:

And I'd always want to be there

for those people that I care

408

:

about because they're important.

409

:

And I want to make sure that.

410

:

They feel supported.

411

:

So I definitely relate to leaving,

taking on the, their energy.

412

:

And it's something I'm working on

and figuring out ways to still be

413

:

that for them, but not take it on.

414

:

But another thing I would continuously

do is downplay my struggles and

415

:

Alexandra: Yes.

416

:

Christine: Like.

417

:

Oh, there's people in the world who have

it way worse off than I do minimizing

418

:

my feelings and emotions on things.

419

:

And it's not because I was

ever made to feel like that.

420

:

It's just,

421

:

As long as I could remember,

that's just how I functioned.

422

:

Was like,

423

:

I don't have a right to feel down

about this because People in the

424

:

world have it way worse than I do.

425

:

So I think

426

:

that also is feeding it fed into this.

427

:

Alexandra: Like it's, you know,

Oh, I'm, it can't be that bad.

428

:

Right.

429

:

When I'm experiencing can't be that bad.

430

:

I'm just making it worse

in my mind or something.

431

:

Um,

432

:

Christine: I'm feeling is valid.

433

:

I sometimes catch myself saying am I

crazy to if I'm venting to a friend or

434

:

I'm talking to my mom about something

and I'm like, is what I'm saying crazy?

435

:

Am I overreacting or is this all so,

you know, there's also that element

436

:

of trusting myself and, it's really

interesting to sit and reflect

437

:

on how all of these are connected

and how they feed into each other.

438

:

Alexandra: yeah.

439

:

So it's interesting cause it's not

necessarily tied to people pleasing,

440

:

but even with myself feeling like

having such a standard or expectation

441

:

that I have to live up to, whether

it's accomplishing it to do it.

442

:

To do list or something today.

443

:

I woke up and I was thinking, I'm

going to get this, you know, XYZ

444

:

done and it's going to be great.

445

:

I'm going to get all these

things checked off my list.

446

:

And I woke up, you know, fairly early

for most people, a little bit later

447

:

than I normally do during the week.

448

:

But.

449

:

You know, I stayed in bed and I

binge watched a couple episodes

450

:

of a show and turn around and it's

10, 10 AM and that's late for me.

451

:

And I'm going, Oh my gosh, I felt so

guilty for taking time for myself just to

452

:

do nothing or something that made me happy

thinking I'm like, I need, I didn't get,

453

:

you know, stuff for our podcast done or,

you know, As soon as I wanted to do things

454

:

that needed to get done around the house.

455

:

And so then it's sitting there going,

Oh my gosh, I haven't done something.

456

:

Somebody is going to say something and

go, why haven't you done or where is X?

457

:

So that's also quite a lot that I, you

know, it eats up a lot of mental space

458

:

and actual time worrying about that.

459

:

So with that said, Christine.

460

:

Do you have any tools to help with

recovering from people pleasing

461

:

and getting to a place where we're

being okay, being misunderstood,

462

:

or at least not feeling responsible

for making people pick us?

463

:

Christine: you know, it's interesting.

464

:

I wish I had a tool belt to

pull out and suggest and things

465

:

to suggest on this matter.

466

:

But really, it's just taken me a

long time to get to this point.

467

:

And I think, you know, in talking

with, you know, My parents and

468

:

people who are older than me who

are only just discovering are going

469

:

through a similar journey now and

they're in their 40s, 50s, 60s.

470

:

To be doing this in my late 20s, I think

I'm ahead of the curve a little bit

471

:

perhaps, but you know, it's I got to a

point where I really was like, you got

472

:

to do the work, you got to stop and think

and push yourself to try and understand

473

:

why you're operating the way you are.

474

:

For me, it took being, finding

yourself in a toxic work environment

475

:

to finally do the self reflection

that I needed to start doing.

476

:

And it's not to say that I've done

it and I'm cured because I I will

477

:

say I'm a recovering people pleaser.

478

:

Cause you know, sometimes I

slip back into it, but I think,

479

:

you know,

480

:

Alexandra: unconsciously.

481

:

Christine: right.

482

:

Right.

483

:

I think the key, I, the key thing

to remember and something I've

484

:

found helpful is to be kind to

yourself, give yourself grace.

485

:

Don't beat yourself up when you find

yourself in a situation and you're like,

486

:

wow, I could have avoided this if only

And just remember your work in progress.

487

:

I think that a lot of people around you

can relate to the experiences you're

488

:

having or what you're going through.

489

:

So reach out and find a close friend or

somebody you can talk to about it too.

490

:

I think those are a couple of things.

491

:

A couple things I would suggest.

492

:

So, yeah.

493

:

How about you?

494

:

Alexandra: I'm

495

:

Christine: What do

496

:

you think.

497

:

on what I said?

498

:

Does that make sense?

499

:

Alexandra: No, it does make sense.

500

:

And like you said, we're

all a work in progress.

501

:

And I think part of me, it is getting

down and just doing the work on myself.

502

:

You know, it's, I can't always be

envious or wish I were like other

503

:

people who don't seem to care as much

whether or not they do understanding

504

:

that is my perspective of somebody.

505

:

And You know, but that takes for them.

506

:

It may be easy.

507

:

It may not be, but for me, it would

take work and it takes practice.

508

:

So to keep, you know, working

on myself and doing that

509

:

Christine: Yeah.

510

:

Alexandra: Thing

511

:

that I think I heard recommended in like a

YouTube video or something I was watching

512

:

and it was called the disease to please.

513

:

It's a book written by

514

:

Harriet Breaker.

515

:

I think she's a PhD.

516

:

I actually didn't get a chance to.

517

:

really started before we

recorded this episode.

518

:

I think I've listened maybe

to like the introduction and

519

:

part of the first chapter.

520

:

So I think that's maybe something

to understand the different

521

:

types of people pleasing and

what the motivation is behind it.

522

:

As part of just working on myself of

okay, you know, do I think the book is

523

:

going to fix my, all my problems and go.

524

:

You're cured.

525

:

I'm like, no, but it may give me tools

to rationalize and understand why I

526

:

behave the way I do that it can then

identify that when it's happening in the

527

:

moment going, Oh, hey, I'm doing this.

528

:

I don't have to respond

to the way I normally do.

529

:

I can do something else.

530

:

So maybe we'll keep people posted on if we

read the book and what our thoughts are,

531

:

but yeah, and it's interesting.

532

:

I know I've talked about Louise

Hay's work on the show before and

533

:

sayings and mantras, but I love her

stuff and kind of makes me think of.

534

:

You know, affirmations to take

care of myself and, you know, that

535

:

it's okay to put myself first.

536

:

I think that's a big thing.

537

:

I have to get over feeling guilty

538

:

of taking time for myself.

539

:

So I think that's a big thing,

a tool I can work on for myself.

540

:

But yeah, what you said did make sense for

me and hopefully for others listening too.

541

:

Christine: That's

542

:

Alexandra: You weren't crazy.

543

:

You weren't overreacting,

544

:

Christine: cool.

545

:

I think, yeah.

546

:

Sometimes I find myself saying,

like, why does it always have

547

:

to be so much work to exist?

548

:

But you know,

549

:

it's true.

550

:

It's a lot of people, maybe I find myself

sometimes wondering why isn't there like

551

:

a simple answer to these complex issues?

552

:

And.

553

:

I think it's because we're sold

use this, it'll do this for you or

554

:

it'll fix your problem in this area.

555

:

So that mentality has sort of warped

our grasp on reality sometimes

556

:

when it comes to these situations.

557

:

And I don't think there's ever going

to be a time where I'm not going to

558

:

struggle with people pleasing or being.

559

:

Cured, quote unquote, but you

know, that's because you're just

560

:

continuously growing and evolving and,

561

:

Alexandra: Right.

562

:

And I think it's kind of, I don't know,

Christina, if you've experienced this,

563

:

but maybe think of why is it not simple?

564

:

And I think other people, when they give

advice, like to say it's simple and it

565

:

may be simple, but implementing that

it's not necessarily simple or easy.

566

:

So it's funny, you know,

that I care too much.

567

:

I overthink things or something

and, you know, I'll be talking

568

:

to my mom or other people and I'm

like, gosh, that was ages ago.

569

:

Just let it go.

570

:

I was I don't want to go if it

was easy for me to let it go.

571

:

I would have

572

:

Christine: Yes.

573

:

It's

574

:

interesting.

575

:

And we keep saying

interesting, I've noticed.

576

:

I think we should have a counter

of how many times you said the

577

:

word interesting today, but,

578

:

Alexandra: Does anyone who's listening

want to tell us a count and just

579

:

leave us a comment send us a DM

580

:

Christine: I don't want to say it's

interesting again, but when I, sometimes

581

:

I catch myself wondering, like,

why am I still thinking about this?

582

:

Why is this still this weird

thing that happened two years ago?

583

:

Like, why am I still feeling

embarrassed about it?

584

:

Or whatever the case or the

situation may have been.

585

:

I'm like, why are you, why am I still

giving this any sort of energy or thought?

586

:

Alexandra: Or from when

you were seven in my case,

587

:

Christine: sure.

588

:

Yeah.

589

:

Alexandra: hold on to things way

too long, but I agree, Christine.

590

:

Yeah.

591

:

And you kind of go, why is

this still sticking around?

592

:

Christine: And I don't know if I have

an answer for that, but maybe, you

593

:

know, The next time it happens to

me, I'll sit with that for a minute

594

:

and be like, let's follow this.

595

:

Why did this come up

for me in this moment?

596

:

What has happened that

brought this to mind?

597

:

Or if I'm just cleaning the dishes and

this weird thing pops into my head from

598

:

five years ago and this awkward encounter,

like, why is this coming up now?

599

:

Who knows?

600

:

But I would think it's,

there's some reason for it.

601

:

Who, but

602

:

maybe there isn't, I don't,

I'm not educated enough to

603

:

talk on the matter per se, but

604

:

I don't know,

605

:

food for thought.

606

:

I don't know if anybody

else relates to that.

607

:

Like

608

:

Alexandra: and

609

:

Christine: and I do.

610

:

Alexandra: anyone is listening and

you do have some tools that can

611

:

help your fellow recovering people,

pleasers, please share with us because

612

:

Christine: I'll take all the

613

:

Alexandra: Clearly we need help.

614

:

Christine: Yeah.

615

:

I, we were reviewing the the flow for

this episode and I said, and we came

616

:

to this section and Alexandra read

the question off and I was like, what

617

:

if I don't have any tools to share?

618

:

And she's that's okay.

619

:

That's an okay.

620

:

That's an answer.

621

:

And that's true.

622

:

I don't I have the experience I've

had that I have had, and that sort

623

:

of has spurred my own personal

growth in this area, but I'm still

624

:

very much a work in progress.

625

:

And I have to revisit this with

you all and sort of see how I,

626

:

how far I've come from this point.

627

:

Alexandra: right.

628

:

Christine: I think this is a great

opportunity maybe to speak more

629

:

on how we feel we are recovering.

630

:

Alexandra, how do you feel

like we're recovering?

631

:

Alexandra: Hmm.

632

:

Christine: Recovering?

633

:

Alexandra: I think we're

limping along the recovery road.

634

:

If I'm honest

635

:

it

636

:

Christine: Inch by

637

:

Alexandra: that might be even too speedy.

638

:

You know, cause it's something I talk

about in, you know, therapy too, of but

639

:

I mentioned, Something happening when I

was seven, still impacting me and a huge

640

:

part of feeling the need to over explain

myself, to, to lessen what I think or

641

:

feel to make other people feel better.

642

:

I mean, still to this day, and

it's like, why can't I let the go?

643

:

And it's almost on par with

things that would happen a

644

:

couple months ago or something.

645

:

So, how are we recovering?

646

:

Still working on it.

647

:

But

648

:

Christine: this conversation

here is a pretty big step because

649

:

Alexandra: that's

650

:

Christine: it's forcing us to

651

:

confront a lot of things.

652

:

Alexandra: quite public.

653

:

So, everyone here is my

accountability partner.

654

:

You're my accountability partners for

my road to recovery, but yeah not fast.

655

:

It is quite slow and it feels like

one of those things where it's almost,

656

:

okay, I'm making steps forward.

657

:

Okay.

658

:

I feel like I'm progressing

two steps forward.

659

:

And then it's no.

660

:

back and you're like, what the heck.

661

:

And then you're like, okay, I'm

going forward to going forward.

662

:

And I made 12 steps forward.

663

:

And then it's like 10 back.

664

:

You're like, okay, I would just like

to make some progress continuing in

665

:

a linear, some progress continuing

in a linear fashion, please.

666

:

But yeah, that's where I am.

667

:

Christine, How are you on limping down

668

:

Christine: in this

669

:

moment, I don't know.

670

:

This is sort of taking

me down a wormhole here.

671

:

How am I recovering?

672

:

I'm doing, I, hey, all things

considered, I'm doing pretty well.

673

:

I've, I've pulled myself out of the

toxic situation I was in, took some

674

:

time off to do some self reflection.

675

:

I've started a new job, which I

feel has evolved significantly

676

:

since I first started in December.

677

:

And I'm building back my confidence

in myself and being okay.

678

:

With.

679

:

uncomfortability when it comes

to works in work situations.

680

:

Having an what in my mind I'm

perceiving to be an uncomfortable

681

:

conversation and not taking the easy

way out and just suffering in silence.

682

:

Because You know, I need to be able to,

683

:

it's way easier for me to stick up

for people I love, but sticking up for

684

:

myself, I don't know, I don't know why

it's always been a place I struggled,

685

:

but I feel like this, these past few

months, I have definitely have been

686

:

making the conscious effort to do that.

687

:

So that in itself, I think is a big step

688

:

forward in, in this recovery process.

689

:

Alexandra: Yeah.

690

:

That's funny because I don't think

either of us have said we totally love

691

:

who we are and are confident in that.

692

:

Christine: I love

693

:

parts of

694

:

myself, I definitely,

695

:

Alexandra: But do you love

the whole of you all the time?

696

:

Christine: Does anybody,

697

:

Alexandra: I don't know.

698

:

But I feel like, shouldn't we

feel that a majority of the time?

699

:

Christine: That's an interesting question.

700

:

I don't

701

:

Alexandra: Cause, I don't know about

you, Christine, but sometimes I feel like

702

:

I take other people's value of me to you.

703

:

Make that who I am.

704

:

So that's really fed into I have to do

things that'll make other ha make others

705

:

happy or Make them happy with me and that

will be like my value and love for myself

706

:

Like it feeds that part of me that

I'm missing because I don't give that

707

:

to myself Which yes, I am working on.

708

:

Christine: Yeah.

709

:

Alexandra: Or maybe that's just

me and that doesn't make sense.

710

:

So that's

711

:

Christine: No it does.

712

:

I'm just sort of, I'm I'm, I think

I'm gonna sit with that and think

713

:

about that a little bit more.

714

:

I uh, I don't know.

715

:

Yeah, just taking it one day at

a time and remembering to be kind

716

:

to myself is something I try to,

you know, keep with me every day.

717

:

And maybe like embracing,

embracing the moments when you are

718

:

misunderstood and Not falling into

the need to overt, to overexplain,

719

:

to try and make someone else feel.

720

:

Cause I don't know if ever I've left a

situation where I've overexplained in

721

:

an effort to make sure they understood

where I was coming from feeling

722

:

better.

723

:

I don't think I ever leave that

situation feeling good, because

724

:

you expel so much energy and

725

:

It's for

726

:

what?

727

:

Alexandra: And it's unsatisfying.

728

:

Christine: yeah, it is.

729

:

And as long, as I said earlier, as

long as I feel as I've done, I've

730

:

shared my thoughts, feelings, and

opinions on whatever I've shared my

731

:

thoughts, feelings, and opinions on

whatever Clearly that I feel like,

732

:

yeah, I understand what I'm saying.

733

:

If they don't, that's their problem.

734

:

That's just something I hope to

still be okay with going forward.

735

:

Alexandra: think you would ever truly

be okay with being misunderstood?

736

:

But

737

:

Christine: probably not.

738

:

In this moment I want to say no.

739

:

I think it's also situation dependent.

740

:

like I said earlier, you know, if it's,

if there's a misunderstanding between

741

:

one of my best friends or my sisters,

you know, those relationships I value

742

:

so deeply that I want to Like for me,

that's worth the effort to work through.

743

:

And

744

:

Alexandra: what about if it wasn't them?

745

:

Christine: it wasn't

746

:

them.

747

:

Alexandra: somebody at work or

somebody you, a new acquaintance

748

:

that you don't know very well?

749

:

Christine: See, work's tricky too.

750

:

I don't know if I could ever be okay

with being misunderstood in a situation

751

:

of like where I'm working because I put

so much of myself in what I do and I

752

:

care so much about what I do that if it

would be hard to be okay with that being.

753

:

I don't know if I would equate that to

not being appreciated or, I don't know.

754

:

I think, I don't know if,

to answer your question, no.

755

:

Simply put, I don't know if I could ever

truly be okay with being misunderstood.

756

:

Alexandra: Do you think you

could let go of the burden of

757

:

needing to over explain yourself?

758

:

Christine: oh yeah, I

think I could do that.

759

:

Because it would be, I feel

like that would be so freeing.

760

:

What do you

761

:

think?

762

:

Would you be okay?

763

:

Would you ever truly be okay

with being misunderstood?

764

:

Alexandra: I want to say yes,

but right now that is just so.

765

:

foreign to me, right?

766

:

Because I overthink things way too much.

767

:

I think I wish I was like people who

can just say something and don't seem

768

:

to regret it or overthink what they say.

769

:

And they're like, if you

don't like it, who cares?

770

:

So,

771

:

Christine: I have a quick story

I want to share after that

772

:

what you just said prompted me.

773

:

To remember.

774

:

Alexandra: So in the future, I would

like to believe that I could truly be

775

:

okay being misunderstood, not family or

people who I find important to me, right?

776

:

Other people, yeah, why not?

777

:

But right now, no.

778

:

So, Christine, if you had

a story that you wanted to

779

:

Christine: Well, it's so funny.

780

:

It's something you just said

prompted this time I was, we were

781

:

all together, my family it was

for my sister, Nicole's birthday.

782

:

Her friends were, we were all together.

783

:

She has this one friend who cracks me up.

784

:

She's the type of person who just

like something pops in her head and it

785

:

immediately comes out of her mouth and

it makes, it cracks me up every time.

786

:

And I just, I think I said something

to the effect of I wish I was the

787

:

type of person who could just say what

she's thinking without overthinking it.

788

:

I don't think I fully, I

didn't say overthinking it.

789

:

I think I said I wish I was the type

of person who just Opens says whatever

790

:

she's thinking, and her friend turns

to me and she's Christine, you can.

791

:

It's really easy.

792

:

Just say it.

793

:

And I was like, it's that situation

of, oh, I guess it is easy, but

794

:

maybe it's, the concept of what's

easy for one person versus another

795

:

can be very different, but you know,

796

:

Alexandra: Maybe we

start in small scenarios.

797

:

Christine: right.

798

:

Alexandra: Unimportant conversations,

799

:

an interaction at the grocery store, and

if we say something, we just let it go.

800

:

Christine: it's also to that, to,

to that effect of who I'm around.

801

:

If I'm around people I know and don't

have necessarily any sort of guard up.

802

:

I don't know if guard up's

the right word, but I feel

803

:

comfortable around certain people.

804

:

I just say whatever comes to mind.

805

:

But in other situations,

this, I love her so much.

806

:

My sister's friend.

807

:

She just, whatever situation she's

in, if she's meeting somebody for the

808

:

first time, she says what she thinks.

809

:

I don't know if she's even

thought, sometimes stopped to

810

:

think about what she's saying.

811

:

There's been some pretty funny one

liners come out of her, but I don't know.

812

:

Yeah.

813

:

Alexandra: And that's kind of the

place I'd love to get more too, right?

814

:

Of just being, not that I want to

be hurtful or harmful with what I

815

:

say or how I express myself, because

I don't think that's okay, but

816

:

not

817

:

meaning what I say, if that makes sense.

818

:

So I can say something and sometimes

there's the sugarcoating it.

819

:

And there's, I think a

fine line in there, right?

820

:

Of You know, if Christine came to me

like, how do these pants make me look?

821

:

And I, you know, it would probably

not be a great thing to say.

822

:

Well, those pants make your butt

look really big and the cut's not

823

:

flattering for your shoes or something.

824

:

Not the best I could have done, right?

825

:

I could be saying, you know what?

826

:

Don't really think that

one's the best pair for you.

827

:

Why don't you try on something else?

828

:

But, You know, I feel like that's

kindness, but then there would be

829

:

the, Oh, well, it's okay, but you

know, maybe if you paired it with

830

:

something else, it would, you know, I

feel like that's one over explaining,

831

:

but also not being totally honest

and it's not saying what you mean.

832

:

So I think that was a very broad example.

833

:

And no, Christine has not asked me what

her pants look But that's something too,

834

:

is being more authentic in what I say.

835

:

It's like meaning what I say,

not what I think people, what I

836

:

think people think I should say.

837

:

Yes, I think that was right.

838

:

So being a bit more honest in my

communication, I feel like might be the

839

:

first step for me to get to that point of,

I think it, it just comes out of my mouth.

840

:

I think therefore I say.

841

:

Christine: For sure.

842

:

Yeah.

843

:

This episode has left me it's so funny

when we enter these conversations together

844

:

I think, I feel like I know where I

stand, but then we come to the end of

845

:

our conversation and I'm like, I don't

think I, I've gone on quite the journey.

846

:

I don't know if I've, if I'm, am

where I was how, when we first started

847

:

talking about this, but yeah, this

is I feel like there's so much more

848

:

to this topic that I need to explore

more and would love to chat more

849

:

about this again in the future, but.

850

:

Alexandra: Yeah,

851

:

Christine: For those listening,

would you ever truly be okay

852

:

with being misunderstood?

853

:

Are you like Alexander and I

where we hope to one day, but I

854

:

personally don't think I ever will.

855

:

And, but who knows, I'd

like to prove myself wrong.

856

:

We want to know we'd

love to hear from you.

857

:

Alexandra: right.

858

:

And if you have made that

transformation from people

859

:

pleasing to being misunderstood,

860

:

we would love to hear how you did that.

861

:

So,

862

:

Christine: might have to have you

on and ask you all the questions.

863

:

Alexandra: If you have done

that, definitely DMS, and we

864

:

would love to chat with you.

865

:

So Christine, if you

have any less thoughts,

866

:

Christine: No, I just, I'll leave

leave us all with this thought.

867

:

If you are recovering people,

please are like myself.

868

:

You're not alone.

869

:

You have a friend in me and.

870

:

If you would love to chat with you

more about it and maybe we'll help

871

:

each other on this recovery journey.

872

:

Alexandra: All right.

873

:

And there you have it, friends.

874

:

Misunderstandings are an inevitable

part of our lives, but they

875

:

are not our burden to bear.

876

:

As we have journeyed through

the tales of people pleasing and

877

:

the empowering steps Somewhat.

878

:

Towards self acceptance, remember

that it is okay to be misunderstood.

879

:

It is not our responsibility to

make everyone see us clearly.

880

:

Sometimes the magic lies in the mystery.

881

:

So embrace those moments

of miscommunication as

882

:

part of your evolution.

883

:

Let them be the unexpected

lines in your life story.

884

:

Thank you for joining us on

the mirror project today.

885

:

Next week, we'll be diving into

the world of yoga with a very

886

:

special guest, Victoria Christina.

887

:

Until then, keep reflecting and growing,

being beautifully misunderstood.

888

:

Christine: Are you enjoying the

banter and insights we're serving up?

889

:

If so, consider tossing some support our

way through our buy us a coffee page.

890

:

Every bit helps in fueling

this passion project of ours.

891

:

Find the link in our show

notes or visit our link tree.

892

:

We're immensely grateful

for your generosity.

893

:

we wrap up, remember to hit that

like subscribe or follow button

894

:

on your preferred platform.

895

:

Until next time, let's keep

the conversation going.

896

:

We'll catch on the next episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for The Mirror Project
The Mirror Project

About your hosts

Profile picture for Christine Borowsky

Christine Borowsky

Introducing our enchanting co-host Christine, a nostalgic soul with a creative spark and an infectious optimism. A devourer of books, a music aficionado, and a film buff, she's immersed in the art of storytelling. Nature is her sanctuary, from forests to oceans. Eager for adventure, she's a perpetual learner, finding growth in every experience. Family and friends provide her comfort and joy. Unafraid of uncomfortable conversations, she navigates them with humor, believing they're vital for understanding and growth. Join her and Alexandra on this podcast where creativity meets curiosity, and laughter blends with wisdom.
Profile picture for Alexandra Montross

Alexandra Montross

Meet Alexandra, the spirited co-host of this captivating podcast, where everyday topics transform into enchanting conversations. With an old soul and a knack for the eclectic, she weaves a unique blend of organization and quirky charm into each discussion. Alexandra's passions span from wellness to metaphysics and dive into the thrilling world of entrepreneurship. Tune in for her lively perspective and insightful takes, adding a touch of magic to every episode alongside Christine. Get ready for a journey where Alexandra's vibrant energy and depth of knowledge create an unforgettable podcast experience.