06/03/2026
Symptoms of codependency (or people-pleasing) sneak in while weāre busy trying to be KIND.
After all, isnāt it loving and thoughtful to help others be emotionally comfortable?
(Plot twist: yes, it is).
(Second plot twist: except when it isnāt).
Yes, itās loving and kind to be thoughtful and considerate of others.
No, itās NOT loving or kind to chronically silence our voice, downplay our own needs, or shrink ourselves down so that someone else will feel ācomfortable.ā
And yet some relationships (whether spouse, parent, family member, or friend) will regularly demand you shrink yourself in order to make them feel good.
And thatās not okay.
As in, theyāre not actually asking you to be KIND to them.
Theyāre asking you to be CODEPENDENT.
And thatās not kind to you or them. Not in the long term, anyway.
So how can compassionate people tell the difference between kindness vs codependency?
Itās easy.
Our boundaries show us the way.
Except that most of us donāt know what our boundaries are.
But we can.
(And your true boundaries may not be what you think). āØ
ā¤ļø
Molly
Therapist-turned-boundaries-guide
PS - Want help?
If you would like to find out if youāve been stuck in codependent patterns (and get boundaries that are loving, kind, and connective), my minicourse is here for you. And itās free. š„°
Get it here:
Https://boundaried.com/breakthrough š¦
PPS - Iāve been having fun hand-drawing a little cartoon series on what codependent symptoms can look like for compassionate folks. If youāre new here, scroll through the cartoons on my page this past week and follow my page if youād love to see more
