Michelle McQuaid: the cost of being a ‘good girl’ – finding freedom from people-pleasing

How do we let go of perfectionism and people-pleasing and learn to put our own needs first?

This week, Jill speaks with Dr Michelle McQuaid, an internationally recognised positive psychology expert, about how more women are breaking free from damaging people-pleasing patterns and living as their authentic selves.

Michelle is the author of six best-selling books, and an honorary fellow at Melbourne University’s Centre for Wellbeing Science.

Her life and work explore the intersection of mental health, identity, and the societal norms that quietly erode our sense of self, with a particular focus on how women are conditioned from an early age to be the ‘good girl’, and how we can shed these limiting beliefs.

She also recently found the courage to end her 23-year marriage and gained freedom and fulfilment as she enters what she describes as her “Grey Queer” years, exploring her bisexuality and prioritising her relationship with herself.

Michelle also shares her fascinating personal story of growing up with a family background of drug addiction and homelessness, which has given her a unique perspective in building identity and resilience.

You can find out more about Michelle’s work through her website, read about her Good Girl Game Changers project on her Substack, and check out her book, The Perfectly Imperfect Little Girl, here.

To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or follow Jill @jillstark__

Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.