Are you saying yes when you really want to say no? In this episode of Worthy of Work, we unpack one of the most common character defects: people pleasing. It's often mistaken for kindness but it's actually fear, control, and dishonesty in disguise.

Stephanie breaks down how people pleasing develops (especially for those raised in disrupted homes), how it shows up in adult relationships, and why it's so damaging—even when it looks like generosity. She offers a clear contrast between people pleasing vs kindness, and practical ways to start showing up more honestly in your relationships.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for setting a boundary, unsure whether you were being mean or just real, this episode is for you. You’ll learn how to spot when fear is running the show, how to respond with truth and love, and how healthy connection can’t grow when we’re wearing a mask.

Key Takeaways:

• People pleasing is dishonest, compulsive, and rooted in fear, not love.

• Kindness is not the same as self-abandonment.

• Healthy relationships don’t require pretending, silence, or performance.

• How to speak up with courage, clarity, and care.

• Sample phrases you can use to say no with love.

• What becomes possible when you stop people pleasing.

Recovery Principle Highlighted: Honesty and self-responsibility. Spotting a character defect.
Transformation Focus: From pretending to being real.
Best For: Women in recovery, former people pleasers, helpers and fixers, anyone learning to build healthy s

✨ "You are allowed to be honest. You are allowed to say no. You are allowed to disappoint someone without being wrong."

If this resonates, pause and ask:
Where am I saying yes when I mean no?
Where could I show up more honestly?
What would change if I told the truth with love?

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes on how to break unhealthy patterns and build connection with clarity, courage, and care.

🎧 Share this episode with a friend who’s ready to stop performing and start showing up.

#worthyofwork #peoplepleasing #boundaries #healthyrelationships #selfabandonment #authenticity #recoveryprinciples #personalgrowth #emotionalhealth #knowyourtruth #codependency #healingjourney #kindnessnotpeoplepleasing #saynotosayyes

If someone handed you a moldy sandwich and insisted it was fine, would you eat it?

Sounds ridiculous, right? But we do this all the time in relationships. We take in dismissive comments, gaslighting, and rejection as if they define our worth or rewrite what we know to be true.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about discernment — the vital (and often forgotten) relationship skill of trusting your gut over someone else’s version of reality.

Because if your worth or truth is placed in someone else’s hands, you’ll forever be chasing peace you can’t hold onto. You’ll be stuck second-guessing, defending, people-pleasing, and shrinking yourself to stay accepted.

Let’s change that.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• A few examples of misplaced worth and the danger of believing what others say more than what your gut says

• The “moldy sandwich test” — a hilariously helpful way to assess what others are offering you

• How to stop needing others to agree with you in order to feel at peace

Whether you’ve been gaslit, passed over, or made to feel small — you are not crazy, and you are not alone. This episode will help you come back to yourself and rebuild your inner compass.

Worthy of Work is the podcast where we unpack the relationship skills no one taught us. Hosted by Stephanie Rivard, each episode offers clear, compassionate guidance to help you heal unhealthy patterns and build a stronger relationship with yourself and others.

🔗 If this helped you, please like, subscribe, or share it with someone who needs to hear it. That moldy sandwich might be going around.

#worthyofworkpodcast #selfworth #trustyourgut #gaslightingrecovery #discernment #healthyrelationships #boundaries #emotionalhealth #peoplepleasing #innerhealing

Going through a divorce or separation? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. In this episode, I walk you through the 7 smartest things to do after a divorce so you can protect your peace, avoid painful patterns, and rebuild a healthier, stronger life.

Whether your relationship ended peacefully or was long and toxic, these steps will help you process what happened and prepare for what’s next — without rushing into rebound relationships, revenge, or regret.

This episode is for those who:
✔️ Feel confused or overwhelmed after divorce
✔️ Want to heal and grow (not repeat the same patterns)
✔️ Might be recovering from codependency or toxic relationships
✔️ Crave clarity, peace, and emotional maturity
✔️ Want to build healthier relationships in the future

You’re not broken. But you may need better tools for the kind of relationship you really want to have.

🎓 Want help learning boundaries that actually work?
Watch the free masterclass: Boundaries That Work

Subscribe to Worthy of Work for weekly relationship recovery tools:
✅ Character defect breakdowns
✅ Emotional intelligence skills
✅ Red and yellow flags explained
✅ Clear, compassionate truth (the kind I wish I had when I was stuck)

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform

🔔 Don’t forget to like, follow, and share if this helped you!

#DivorceRecovery #HealingAfterDivorce #HealthyRelationships #CodependencyRecovery #EmotionalMaturity #RebuildingAfterDivorce #BoundariesThatWork #WorthyOfWorkPodcast #StephanieRivard #ToxicMarriage #GriefAndGrowth #PostDivorceHealing