Rediscover Your True Self: Life Lessons from a Recovering People Pleaser

People Pleasers Take Note! A Guide to Rediscovering Joy and Your True Self

Have you ever felt like life has become a little too routine, a little too predictable, or maybe even downright overwhelming? The truth is, life has a funny way of dimming our sparks if we’re not careful. That’s why it’s so important to intentionally seek out those tiny moments, ideas, and actions that can light us back up.

Here is a collection of gentle, quirky, and meaningful tips designed to help you reconnect with yourself, step out of your comfort zone, and find joy in the everyday. Whether you’re feeling stuck, searching for direction, or just need a little inspiration, these ideas are here to help you follow your sparks.

1. Reclaim Your Space and Energy

• Stop trying to create a space that others will compliment. It is YOUR space. Fill it with things that bring you joy. Think: cozy blankets, quirky art, or that disco ball you’ve always wanted.

• Stop people-pleasing. You will never win. Be too much of whatever you’ve always suppressed. Your spark is in your authenticity.

• Make yourself a priority. You deserve to feel seen, heard, and cared for—starting with yourself.

2. Try New Things and Create Sparks

• Do things that scare you—yes, even TINY things that no one else considers scary. Buy a different brand of peanut butter. Cut your sandwich in a new shape. Wear a color that "isn’t for you."

• Try something that seems silly or ridiculous. Paint with your non-dominant hand, or make up a dance to your favorite song.

• Always work to create new neuropathways. Take a different route home, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, or try a new hobby you’ve never considered.

3. Listen to Your Inner Voice

• When you have a whisper to do something (like speak up when you see wrongdoing or express how much someone means to you), act on it. Those small nudges often lead to meaningful moments.

• Learn to say no when you feel that whisper. Protect your energy and set boundaries that feel right to you.

4. Embrace Joy and Your Inner Child

• Force your inner child to come out every now and then. Drive past a park with swings? Stop and go swing as high as you can. Remember those belly flips?

• Put on a song that inspires the silliest dance you can manage. My go-to is "Praise You" by Fatboy Slim. What’s yours?

• Try new foods or odd flavor combinations. Let yourself explore like you did when you were a kid, when every new bite was an adventure. (Have you ever tried putting olive oil and salt on your vanilla ice cream?)

5. Redefine Self-Worth

• You do not have all the flaws the beauty industry works so hard to make you believe. You don’t need to fix anything. Fun tip: every time you feel pulled to buy the newest "fix" put them money aside and use it for a new hobby or travel adventure.

• Don’t measure your strength or progress against anybody else’s. The scale is never fair. Your journey is uniquely yours. If someone tries to guilt you by saying "we are all in the same boat" it is their defensive B.S. Some people are in a blow up raft and some are on super yachts.

• This is your life. There is no one right way to live it, no timeline you need to follow for finding love, your passion, or yourself. Get comfortable with that.

6. Simplify and Ground Yourself

• Stop overwhelm and pick just one thing you can work toward fixing. Break it into the smallest step possible, and take that step today. This can be a personal goal or a world-wide issue.

• Buy the things that truly light you up, but don’t buy just to fill a void or impress others.

7. Keep Exploring and Growing

• Keep learning. It doesn’t have to be formal. Watch a YouTube tutorial, read a new genre of book, or ask someone to teach you a skill.

• Try new hobbies. Take up knitting, try your hand at photography, or learn how to make homemade pasta. Your spark might be waiting there. Remember: you are not making a lifelong committment to this hobby. If you try it and decide it's not for you, that's great! By trying it, it will spark other ideas and paths to follow. Action is never wasted.

Life is full of opportunities to follow your sparks and rediscover joy, authenticity, and connection. These tips aren’t about creating a perfect life but about finding magic in the imperfect one you already have. Joy lies when you set yourself free in the imperfection! Try one or two, and see where they take you.

Want more inspiration? Download my free printable guide, Follow Your Sparks: 30 Ways to Light Up Your Life. It’s packed with tips, prompts, and simple actions to help you get started.

If it's creativity you feel your lacking, try my free download with 5 Creative Exploration Checklists to gently get you back to your creative self.

There are even more freeebies and a whole shop of goodies waiting on my resource page! I gotcha!