Let's talk about something that doesn't get called out enough: Good Girl Syndrome. You know the one. Where you say yes when you mean no. Where you over-explain every boundary. Where you apologize for having needs. Where you twist yourself into a pretzel to keep everyone else happy... while quietly resenting the hell out of it. Sound familiar? Here's what life may look like WITH Good Girl Syndrome: ✖️ You're constantly second-guessing yourself ✖️ You feel guilty for putting yourself first (if you even do it at all) ✖️ You're exhausted from managing everyone else's feelings ✖️ You say "sorry" more than your own name ✖️ You avoid conflict at all costs - even when it costs you your peace ✖️ You're the "go-to" person because you never say no... and now you're drowning It's like living with an invisible rulebook that says: Be accommodating. Be helpful. Be low-maintenance. Don't make waves. Somewhere along the way, you learned that being "good" means shrinking yourself so others feel comfy. But here's what life can look like WITHOUT it: ✅ You say no without a 10-minute explanation ✅ You set boundaries and they actually stick ✅ You stop apologising for taking up space ✅ You ask for what you need without the guilt spiral ✅ You let other people handle their own feelings ✅ You show up as yourself - not the version everyone else wants Better, right? See, the problem is, undoing years of "good girl" conditioning doesn't happen overnight. And the guilt? Oh, the guilt tries to sneak back in. So here are 2 simple shifts to help you move away from Good Girl Syndrome - with less guilt: Number uno: Replace "I'm sorry" with "Thank you" Instead of: "Sorry I'm late!" Try: "Thanks for waiting!" Instead of: "Sorry, I can't take that on" Try: "Thanks for thinking of me" This tiny language shift changes the energy. You're not apologising for existing - you're acknowledging someone else without shrinking yourself. Numero Dos: Practice the "48-hour pause" before saying yes. When someone asks you for something, try: "Let me check my schedule and get back to you."

Here's a reminder as the week draws to a close... You do NOT need permission to put yourself first. That includes: Permission to say no without a 10-minute explanation. Permission to take up space without apologising for it. Permission to choose yourself - even when it feels selfish (spoiler: it's not). See, most of us were taught that being "good" means being accommodating. Helpful. Available. Low-maintenance. "The Good Girl Syndrome". And somewhere along the way, we learned to put everyone else's needs, schedules, and feelings ahead of our own. So we end up running on empty, resentful, and wondering why we feel so disconnected from ourselves. Lead-HER-Ship isn't about being perfect or having it all figured out. It's about learning to lead your own life - starting with the small, daily choices that either drain you or fill you up. So here's your mini-challenge as you close out the week: Think of ONE thing you've been waiting for permission to do (or stop doing). Just one. Drop it in the comments if you're brave enough - or just hold it close and take one tiny action toward it before the week is done. I'm here to say it's OK to put yourself first. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. I promise x