Hey friend, I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately—the version of you who feels disconnected from yourself, unsure of what you want, and exhausted from trying to keep up with everyone else’s needs.The version of you who wonders, “When did I lose myself… and how do I get back?” If that’s where you are right now, I want you to know something important: You’re not alone.And you’re not doing anything wrong. So many highly sensitive people and recovering people-pleasers reach a point where they...
26 days ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hey there, friend. I hope you had a warm and meaningful Thanksgiving—whether yours was big and bustling or quiet and reflective. This time of year always reminds me how healing it can be to pause, take a breath, and truly let ourselves feel gratitude. And as I was recording this week’s podcast episode with my guest, Natalie King, I was struck by how beautifully gratitude and joy weave into each other. Natalie and I had the most powerful conversation about joy—how we...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hey there, friend. If you’ve ever felt that deep, anxious tug in your chest at the thought of disappointing someone, you’re not alone. In fact, for so many highly sensitive people and recovering people pleasers, this fear is one of the most powerful forces quietly running the show. And the hardest part?Most don’t even realize how much it’s controlling their choices—until they’re exhausted, resentful, and wondering why they feel so disconnected from themselves. I see...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hey there, friend, I want to share something a little different with you today. Recently, I had the honor of being a guest on Marissa Campbell’s podcast, The Art of Heart. It was one of those conversations where I felt seen, understood, and allowed to be completely real—and I want you to hear it too. We dove into some of my pivotal moments—the ones that shaped who I am today, and the ones that almost broke me along the way. Like the time I was deeply depressed, yet...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hey there, If you’re highly sensitive, you probably feel emotions more intensely than others—and that includes anger. It can come on suddenly, quietly simmer, or show up as irritability, frustration, or even exhaustion. For many HSPs, anger feels uncomfortable or “wrong” because we’ve learned to prioritize others’ feelings over our own. But here’s the truth: anger is a natural, healthy part of being sensitive. It’s your inner signal letting you know when something...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hi, friend! I want to share a word with you that completely shifted how I think about relationships: ayni. Ayni (pronounced eye-nee) is an Andean principle that means sacred reciprocity. It’s about balance, mindfulness, and sustainability in relationships. That sounds beautiful, right? But let me tell you why it matters. Recently, I had a dream that shook me. In the dream, I had agreed to babysit a friend’s kids for a week. I knew the expectations, I said yes...
3 months ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching The #1 Fear of People Pleaser? The Fear of Abandonment. If you’ve ever silenced your needs to avoid rocking the boat, stayed in a relationship that didn’t feel good, or worked overtime to keep someone happy just so they wouldn’t leave, you know this fear well. For many, this fear traces back to early experiences—maybe emotional neglect, maybe love that felt conditional on performance, or maybe someone truly important did leave. But regardless of the source, over time,...
4 months ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching This weekend, we’re having house guests—an old friend and a new friend—and I wanted the house to look perfect. So, I pulled out our old carpet shampooer. The carpet in our dining room looked awful and I wanted to freshen it up. I still can't believe anyone ever thought carpet where you eat was a good idea! I started shampooing… and it was frustrating to say the least. No matter which way I moved the machine, it only cleaned a tiny stripe in the center, leaving huge...
4 months ago • 2 min read
MaryAnn Walker Coaching Hey there, friend, One pattern I see over and over again in my practice is people pouring more and more of themselves into others—thinking, “If I can just do all the right things, be selfless enough, forgiving enough, mindful enough, then my relationships will finally be happy and healthy.” But here’s the hard truth: sometimes, despite all your effort, you might notice that you’re not getting even the bare minimum in return. And because there was a time when things...
4 months ago • 3 min read