Inner Work With MaryAnn Walker: Stop People Pleasing and Start Living For You!

Inner Work With MaryAnn Walker: Stop People Pleasing and Start Living For You!

Welcome to Inner Work with MaryAnn Walker—the podcast for empaths, highly sensitive women, and recovering people pleasers who are ready to stop living on autopilot and start reconnecting with who they really are. I work with women—often in midlife—who are emotionally exhausted from constantly meeting everyone else’s needs while ignoring their own. They’ve spent years in roles like caretaker, partner, parent, or professional, and now they’re waking up to the truth that they don’t really know themselves outside of those roles. They’re struggling with burnout, people-pleasing, compassion fatigue, unclear boundaries, and the overwhelming pressure to be everything for everyone. If that sounds like you, you’re not broken—and you’re not alone. As a certified life coach who specializes in supporting highly sensitive women, I’ll guide you through tools and practices to help you: Set healthy, sustainable boundaries without guilt Reclaim your energy and emotional well-being Build deeper, more authentic connections without abandoning yourself Learn how to process emotions rather than getting stuck in them Remember who you are beneath all the roles you've played Every week, I’ll share personal stories, practical strategies, and powerful mindset shifts to help you stop surviving and start living—with clarity, confidence, and compassion. If you're ready to come home to yourself, hit subscribe and let’s begin your inner work.

Episodes

August 21, 2025 11 mins

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Time Doesn’t Heal All Wounds— Intention Does

They say that "Time heals all wounds."
We’ve all heard it. But is it true?

The truth is time alone doesn’t heal. Effort & intention does.
And when you stop waiting and start intentionally tending to your emotional wounds, everything begins to shift.

🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✨ Why time without intention can keep y...

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Are you a highly sensitive person who’s constantly giving but feeling invisible in your relationships? Do you ever catch yourself wondering, “Do they know I’m here?” or feeling like “They are walking all over me”? Maybe you’ve been feeling used or taken advantage of, and deep down you’re thinking, “I just want to be seen and loved.”

In this episode, I open up about my own journey as a helper, healer, and recovering peo...

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Do you have a hard time feeling ok when others around you are struggling?  Do  you find yourself constantly managing the emotions of others or abandoning your own needs in the name of “keeping the peace?” If so, you may be struggling with codependency. Today we’re going to explore what codependency actually is, how it often hides under the mask of kindness, and how to start reclaiming your emotional freedom. 

Many reco...

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What if what’s happening outside of you is just a reflection of what’s going on inside of you? As a coach for helpers, healers, and recovering people-pleasers, I’ve seen how self-limiting beliefs quietly shape our reality and block us from manifesting the life we truly want.

In this episode, we’ll unpack the limiting beliefs that may be keeping you stuck—and I’ll guide you through a powerful (but simple) process to shi...

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When does empathy become toxic? When it leads to self-abandonment. 

Yes, empathy is beautiful—it helps us connect, support others, and hold space. But what happens when your empathy starts costing you your peace, self-worth, and well-being?

Join me as we explore:

  • What toxic empathy is and how it differs from healthy compassion
  • How people-pleasers and highly sensitive people (HSPs) often fall into this pattern
  • Real-life...
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Let Your Experience Be Your Power Move | Reinventing Your Career With Confidence | MaryAnn Walker

Whether you're returning to a wellness routine, navigating dating after a breakup, or shifting careers, this episode will help you reframe your "restart" as a continuation of your growth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✨Why your inner critic gets loud when you're doing something ne...

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If you've ever wondered, “Am I being too harsh?” or “Will people still love me if I stop people-pleasing?”—this episode is for you. Today, we're talking about the fear that setting boundaries means you're suddenly a terrible person. (Spoiler alert: you're not.) Whether you've swung from self-sacrificing to "spicy:" or you’re just learning how to say "no" without guilt, we’r...

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How can you know if the people you are choosing are also choosing you?

Are you pouring your time, energy, and heart into someone—hoping they’ll come around, hoping they’ll finally see your worth, hoping they’ll meet you halfway?

This can show up in a lot of ways:

  • Canceling your plans just in case they want to spend time with you
  • Keeping yourself emotionally unavailable for someone who already walked away
  • Saying yes to ...
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If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when you weren’t…
If you’ve said “yes” when you wanted to scream “no”…
If you’ve silently hoped someone would just know what you need…
This episode is for you.

We’ll explore how not speaking your truth leads to resentment, burnout, and disconnection—and how reclaiming your voice can create deeper trust not only in your relationships, but also within yourself.

This conversation ...

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You, my dear, are not a transaction. You are not worthy only for what you DO, but for who you ARE. 

If you've ever felt loved only when you're helpful, useful, or emotionally available, this message is for you. True connection isn't about how much you give—it's about being accepted for who you are, even on your empty days.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Why tying your worth to your productivity...
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Have you ever wondered why some parts of you feel invisible—even to yourself? Or why certain relationships feel so nourishing while others leave you drained? In today’s episode, we’re diving into the Johari Window: a powerful self-awareness tool that helps you understand what you show the world, what you keep hidden, what others see in you, and what’s still waiting to be discovered.

This framework isn't just about...

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Have you ever known deep down what the right decision was—but still found yourself analyzing it to death?

Whether it’s a relationship, job, or life decision, intuitive people—especially empaths—often get stuck in their heads, trying to logic their way through emotions. In this episode, we’re diving into why that happens, how it disconnects you from your authentic self, and what you can do to break free from ...

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Healing the Fixer, the Controller, and the Victim: Trying On New Roles for Growth

Sometimes the roles we’ve played in order to survive—like the fixer, the controller, or the victim—become so familiar that we mistake them for who we truly are. But what if those identities were never you? What if they were just survival strategies… and it’s finally safe to take them off?

Today we explore how to recognize when these old ro...

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Here's the truth about that "bad feeling" you can't shake.. you know.. the one you had when you spiraled over that text, replayed a conversation 100 times, or felt a knot in your stomach and wondered—Is this my intuition warning me… or just fear playing tricks on me? 

Today you’ll learn how to finally tell the difference between your inner wisdom and your old survival patterns—so you can stop second...

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Why Staying Silent Is the Most Dishonest Thing You Can Do

Silence may feel like the easier path, but when it comes to boundaries, staying silent is one of the most dishonest things you can do—to yourself and to others. This week, we’re diving deep into how silence creates disconnection, fuels resentment, and ultimately undermines the relationships we value most. You’ll learn how to communicate boundaries with clarity, ...

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Do you constantly find yourself putting out emotional fires you didn’t start?
Are you the peacekeeper in relationships, only to feel drained by the chaos others bring?

If so, this episode is for you.

As an empath, a helper, or a recovering people pleaser, you might unknowingly attract people who thrive on drama. These tension seekers feed off conflict, and their emotional turbulence often disrupts your inner peace. ...

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Ever felt like you were finally making progress, only to be hit with something that felt like a setback? Whether you're moving through divorce, a career shift, or stepping into a new phase of identity, remember: a perceived setback doesn’t mean  growth hasn’t happened. It’s just part of the process.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why transitions often feel messy and non-linear—and why that’s normal
  • How sprin...
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Teaching men to feel isn’t about making them less masculine—it’s about making them whole.

Sometimes it seems as if anger is the only emotion men are allowed to show—but beneath it lives grief, fear, and unmet needs seeking to be heard.

Chris O’Neil’s mission is simple: help men feel again without shame, fear, or judgment. In this episode, he unpacks the emotional myths that hold men back and gives practical, grounded to...

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***Energetic Boundaries 101: A Survival Guide for Empaths***

As an empath or highly sensitive person, your energy is constantly checking in on others—even when you don’t realize it. In this episode, MaryAnn Walker breaks down what energetic boundaries are, why they’re crucial for empaths, and how to set them so you can protect your energy, stop the emotional burnout, and still show up with love and compassion...

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✨***Emotional Hygiene for Empaths & HSP's and Why it Matters More Than You Think***
Have you ever found yourself totally drained after spending time with someone—even if you weren’t the one going through something heavy? Maybe lately you’re feeling anxious, not sleeping well, or just not like yourself. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and this episode is for you.

Today, we’re talking abo...

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