Hey @Sunset_Crab ! I completely understand - it is so challenging to navigate situations like this. I am sorry that you have felt this burden for so long!! I too have been trying to work on my people-pleasing tendancies. Here are some things that have helped me:
1. Being prepared to sit in discomfort - Saying no for the first few (maybe even many) times will feel super super uncomfortable. It is okay to feel discomfort and to just let it exist. It will pass and things will be okay.
2. Avoid over explaining - Practice saying no to something and give absolutely no explanation. At first it will feel weird and scary. Remember that you don't owe anyone an explantion for having boundaries. After a while this starts feeling more normal and you begin to learn that other people don't always need to know your reasons - and often they are a whole lot less interested in your reasons that you think anyway.
These things have helped me to feel a lot less of the guilt associated with people pleasing. Let me know if any of them help you, or if you have any other strategies that work for you! You've got this! 💜
