Ever feel like self-care is just another thing on your to-do list? Or that it requires a $400 spa day you don’t have time or money for? SAME. In this episode of Normal but Not, we’re getting real about why self-care feels so damn hard—and how to make it work for you without the guilt, the pressure, or the overpriced candles.

🔥 In This Episode, We Cover:
✅ Why self-care isn’t about luxury—it’s about survival
✅ How social media has totally lied to us about what self-care should look like
✅ Real, no-cost, no-time self-care strategies that actually help
✅ Why prioritizing yourself doesn’t mean neglecting others
✅ Quick, actionable steps you can take RIGHT NOW (seriously, unclench your jaw)

📚 Related Episodes:
🎧 Guilt-Free Boundaries: The Key to Reclaiming Your Power
🎧 When You’re Running on Empty: Burnout & Recovery
🎧 Are You Being Too Nice? The Truth About People-Pleasing

💡 Ready to take self-care seriously (without the guilt)? Grab my free cheat sheet, Setting Boundaries Without Guilt, at krystalcentinello.com.

📲 Let’s Connect:
✨ Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal
✨ Website: krystalcentinello.com

🔔 Next Week:Is It Normal to Feel Guilty for Putting Yourself First? Spoiler alert: You’re gonna want to hear this one.

Press play, take a deep breath, and let’s make self-care simple. 💖

Ever felt like you had to shrink yourself to keep the peace? In this episode ofNormal but Not, I sit down with Danielle Merrill—certified sacred geometry worker, customer relations manager, yoga instructor, actress, and fellow recovering people-pleaser—to dive into the lasting impact of emotionally immature parents.

We share personal stories of people-pleasing, the power of awareness in breaking these patterns, and why choosing love over fear is a game-changer. Plus, we explore sacred geometry work, the “Who Am I?” identity crisis, and the surprising role of destructive cats in our healing journeys.

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling small, questioning your worth, or navigating relationships with emotionally immature parents, this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Cover:
✔️ How emotionally immature parents shape people-pleasing tendencies
✔️ The importance of awareness in healing and self-discovery
✔️ Choosing love over fear in relationships and personal growth
✔️ Sacred geometry work and how it supports inner transformation
✔️ Dealing with the “Who Am I?” identity crisis and reclaiming your power
✔️ The unexpected lessons from chaotic cats 🐱

📚Referenced Books:

• Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
• How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera
• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
• Five Minute Journal

🎧Tune in and tag us with your biggest takeaways!

🔗Connect with Us:

• Krystal:@completecoachingwithkrystal |krystalcentinello.com
• Danielle:@dannicake8

Description:
In this special episode of Normal but Not, I’m joined by my husband to explore what it’s like to support a recovering people-pleaser in a relationship. We dive into how my people-pleasing tendencies showed up early in our relationship, the challenges that came with learning to set boundaries, and how we’ve grown together through the process.

If you’ve ever felt like you have to be everything for everyone—even in your closest relationships—this episode is for you. We’ll share key turning points, practical insights for both people-pleasers and their partners, and a few humorous moments along the way.

In This Episode, We Cover:
✔️ How people-pleasing affected my relationships before meeting my husband
✔️ His perspective on my growth and the challenges we faced
✔️ How to balance independence and partnership in a healthy relationship
✔️ Tips for both people-pleasers and their partners to build stronger connections

🎧 Listen now and tag me on Instagram (@completecoachingwithkrystal) with your biggest takeaway!

🔗 Take my free quiz: What Type of People-Pleaser Are You?

Next week: Is It Normal to Struggle with Self-Care? Don’t miss it!

"Is It Normal to Feel Uncomfortable Around Straightforward People?"

Hi, I’m Krystal, a trauma-informed coach and recovering people-pleaser, here to help you reclaim your power, find your voice, and set boundaries without guilt. Welcome to Normal but Not, the podcast where we unpack behaviors that feel “normal” but aren’t always helpful.

In this episode, we’re tackling a big question: Is it normal to feel uncomfortable around straightforward people? If you’ve ever felt uneasy when someone clearly states their needs or effortlessly sets boundaries, you’re not alone. This reaction is incredibly common among people-pleasers, but it doesn’t have to define you.

1. Why Straightforward People Feel Triggering:

   • Insights from psychologists like Dr. Harriet Lerner and Dr. Gabor Maté on how childhood experiences shape people-pleasing behaviors.
   • How enmeshed or authoritarian family dynamics can make assertiveness feel risky or rebellious.

2. The Root of the Discomfort:

   • How early patterns of suppressing your needs to maintain harmony can clash with witnessing others prioritize themselves.
   • Personal anecdotes about growing up in a “don’t rock the boat” household and how that shaped my own struggles with honesty and directness.

3. How This Impacts Adulthood:

   • Subtle ways discomfort with straightforwardness shows up in your relationships, career, and self-talk.
   • Why we admire confident people but also feel triggered by them.

4. Actionable Steps to Embrace Confidence:

   • Tips for identifying your triggers and reframing how you perceive assertive individuals.
   • How to practice small, confidence-building acts of directness in your daily life.
   • Affirmations to combat the fear of being seen as “difficult” when stating your needs.

• Join My January 25 Workshop: Trauma to Triumph: Setting Boundaries That Transform is designed to help you set boundaries without guilt and reclaim your confidence.
• Take My Quiz: What Kind of People-Pleaser Are You? Discover more about your unique patterns and how to break free.

• Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal for daily tips and inspiration.
• Resources and Workshop Sign-Up: Complete Coaching with Krystal.

Episode #12 – Is It Normal to Become a People-Pleaser After Growing Up with an Angry Parent?

Introduction
Welcome back to Normal but Not! I’m Krystal Centinello, your trauma-informed boundaries and empowerment coach, helping recovering people-pleasers like you step into your power and authenticity.

If you’ve ever spent your childhood walking on eggshells around a short-tempered parent, trying to keep the peace and avoid conflict, this episode is for you. We’ll unpack the connection between growing up with an angry parent and becoming a people-pleaser as an adult. I’ll share personal stories, research insights, and actionable steps to help you reclaim your voice and stop prioritizing others at the expense of yourself.

And stick around until the end—I’ll tell you about my upcoming workshop, Trauma to Triumph: Setting Boundaries that Transform in 1 Hour, happening on January 25th!

What You'll Learn in This Episode

1. How living with a high-temper parent leads to people-pleasing behavior.
2. Why "walking on eggshells" becomes second nature and its long-term impact on relationships.
3. Lessons from Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall and how fiction mirrors real life.
4. Practical steps to break free from the cycle of hypervigilance and overgiving.

Highlights

• Walking on Eggshells: Learn how regulating a parent’s emotions instead of your own as a child creates unhealthy habits in adulthood.
• Attachment Styles: Discover how anxious attachment develops when a parent is unpredictable or critical.
• Lessons from Fiction: Explore how the Delaney siblings in Apples Never Fall adapted to their father’s temper—and how their strategies might reflect your own.
• Breaking the Cycle: Actionable tools to identify family patterns, reclaim your voice, set boundaries, and challenge the fear of conflict.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Dr. Nicole LaPera’s insights on hypervigilance.
• Toxic Parents by Dr. Susan Forward.
• Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty.

Take the Next Step
🎉 Ready to stop people-pleasing and set boundaries with confidence? Join my workshop Trauma to Triumph: Setting Boundaries that Transform in 1 Hour on January 25th. Learn how to say no without guilt and yes to yourself. Visit my website or follow me on Instagram @completecoachingwithkrystal for all the details.

Stay Connected

• Take my free quiz: Are You a People-Pleaser?
• Follow me on Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal
• Explore more tools for reclaiming your power: Complete Coaching with Krystal

Next Week’s Episode
Join me next week for Episode #13: Is It Normal to Feel Uncomfortable Around Straightforward People? If direct communication makes you squirm, we’ll explore why that might be—and how to navigate it.

Thank you for tuning in to Normal but Not! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Remember, you don’t have to walk on eggshells anymore. You’ve got this!

Show Notes: Episode #11 – Is It Normal to Be Sensitive to Criticism?

Episode Summary
Welcome to Normal but Not! In today’s episode, we’re diving into a topic that strikes a chord with so many: sensitivity to criticism. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by fear of judgment or found yourself people-pleasing to avoid conflict, this conversation is for you.

We’ll explore:

• How enmeshed family systems shape our fear of criticism.
• Why criticism often masquerades as care in dysfunctional dynamics.
• Personal stories of breaking free from the "good girl" script.
• Actionable steps to overcome the fear of setting boundaries.

Plus, learn about my Trauma to Triumph: Setting Boundaries that Transform in 1 Hour workshop on January 25th.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

1. The origins of sensitivity to criticism and its link to people-pleasing.
2. How enmeshed family systems blur boundaries and reinforce unhealthy patterns.
3. Practical steps to challenge internalized criticism and build confidence in setting boundaries.

Workshop Mention
🎉 Ready to transform your life in just one hour? Join me on January 25th for Trauma to Triumph, a live workshop designed to help you set boundaries guilt-free. Visit my website or follow me on Instagram @completecoachingwithkrystal for details.

Resources & Links

• Take my free quiz: Are You a People-Pleaser?
• Follow me on Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal
• Explore more tools to reclaim your power: Complete Coaching with Krystal

Stay Connected
Next week, we’re exploring Episode #12: Is It Normal to Become a People-Pleaser After Growing Up with an Angry Parent? We’ll unpack the long-term impact of angry parenting styles and share steps to reclaim your sense of self.

Thanks for tuning in to Normal but Not! If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. See you next week!

Episode Title: Is It Normal to Be Drawn to or Retreat from Grandiose Personalities?

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Normal but Not, we dive into the fascinating—and often misunderstood—dynamic between people pleasers and grandiose personalities. Why are some of us irresistibly drawn to—or instinctively retreat from—narcissistic traits? I explore this "normal but not" connection, peeling back the layers to uncover how childhood wounds, like the narcissistic mother or father wound, shape these patterns.

You'll learn:

• What grandiosity really is and how it serves as a survival strategy for narcissists.
• The toxic dance between people pleasers and grandiose personalities, and why it feels so familiar.
• The difference between the narcissistic mother wound and father wound—and how each leaves its mark.
• Three actionable steps to break free from this dynamic, including setting boundaries, healing your inner child, and recognizing unhealthy patterns.

Plus, I share personal stories and real-life examples to help you spot these dynamics in your own life and take the first steps toward healthier relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• Grandiosity is an inflated sense of self-importance, often masking deep insecurity.
• People pleasers and narcissists engage in a push-pull dynamic rooted in unmet childhood needs.
• Recognizing and healing your inner child is crucial to breaking free from this cycle.

Workshop Alert:
🎉 Trauma to Triumph: Setting Boundaries that Transform in 1 Hour is now open for registration! 🎉
If you’re ready to stop people-pleasing and create guilt-free boundaries that feel empowering and aligned, this workshop is for you. Grab your spot now through the link here or in the show notes.

Free Resource:
Download my free guide: Are You Stuck in the Narcissist-People Pleaser Dance? Discover How to Break Free! Download here.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Cheat Sheet: Setting Boundaries Without Guilt Download here.
• Bill Eddy’s work on high-conflict personalities.
• Terry Real’s concept of narcissistic grandiosity.

Let’s Connect:

• Follow me on Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal
• Check out my podcast Reclaim Your Pleasure: Link here

Subscribe & Review:
Don’t forget to subscribe to Normal but Not and leave a review if you enjoyed today’s episode. Your support helps us reach more people ready to redefine what’s truly healthy and authentic!

🎙 We’ll be back in January after a short holiday break. See you in the new year!

Episode Summary
People-pleasing may seem normal, but it’s far from healthy. In this episode of Normal but Not, Krystal Centinello unpacks the truth behind people-pleasing behaviors and explores the four main types of people pleasers: The Caretaker, The Peacekeeper, The True Pleaser, and The Manager. Drawing from her personal experiences and trauma-informed expertise, Krystal breaks down how these patterns develop, why they persist, and how you can start reclaiming your authenticity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
💡 What people-pleasing really is (hint: it’s not kindness).
💡 The fears and environments that create people-pleasing behaviors.
💡 The four types of people pleasers and how they show up in your life.
💡 Actionable steps to stop people-pleasing and start living authentically.
💡 How to identify your type of people-pleaser with a free quiz tailored just for you.

Take the Quiz
Ready to discover your people-pleasing type? Take Krystal’s free quiz and get personalized tips to break free from people-pleasing patterns. Go to KrystalCentinello.com/type to take the quiz.

Actionable Steps to Break Free from People-Pleasing
✔️ Name It to Tame It: Identify your type and recognize when you’re acting to meet others’ expectations rather than your own.
✔️ Set Small Boundaries: Practice saying “no” or voicing your opinion in low-stakes situations.
✔️ Practice Self-Compassion: Celebrate small wins and be patient with yourself as you unlearn these patterns.

Join the Conversation
Have you struggled with people-pleasing? Which type resonates with you most? Share your thoughts on Instagram and tag @completecoachingwithkrystal to join the conversation!

Follow & Connect
✨ Follow Krystal for more tips on boundaries, empowerment, and reclaiming your authenticity:
Instagram: @completecoachingwithkrystal

Don’t Forget to Subscribe!
If you loved this episode, subscribe to Normal but Not and leave a review to help more recovering people pleasers find the show. See you next week!