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Why Your Anger Isn't the Problem- But a Path to Clarity and Solutions

Are you a people pleaser or highly sensitive person who struggles with feeling safe expressing anger? You’re not alone—and in today’s episode, we’re flipping the script on anger. Instead of seeing it as something to suppress or shame, we’ll explore how anger is actually a powerful messenger guiding you toward healthier boundaries, clearer values, and unmet needs.

I’m MaryAnn Walker, a life coach who helps highly sensitive people and recovering people pleasers reconnect with their emotions so they can feel more empowered and live life on their own terms.

This episode is part two of our anger series. Last time, we discussed why anger feels unsafe for people pleasers and the common ways it shows up. Today, we’re going deeper: what is anger trying to teach you, and how can you use it to create real change in your life?

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to reframe anger as a protective, motivating force rather than a problem to fix.
• How to identify boundaries that need to be set or reinforced and communicate them effectively.
• How anger reveals your core values and helps you assess whether your relationships and actions are in alignment with what matters most.
• How anger signals unmet needs—whether for rest, support, appreciation, or reciprocity—and strategies to meet those needs proactively.
• Practical examples for turning anger into action, from setting digital boundaries to advocating for fairness in relationships.

Challenge for the Week:
When anger shows up, pause and ask yourself:

1. Is this about a boundary I need to set?
2. Is this revealing something about my values?
3. Is this highlighting an unmet need I can address?

Take time to reflect on your answers, and notice how approaching anger with curiosity instead of shame can transform your relationships and your sense of self.

Work With Me:
If you want support uncovering what anger is trying to teach you and learning how to honor your boundaries, values, and needs, I’d love to work with you. Visit www.maryannwalker.life
or email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life
to check availability.

Wondering if you're a good candidate for coaching? You can book a free clarity call with me here: https://calendly.com/maryannwalkerlife/freeconsult

Don’t Forget to Subscribe
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Each week, we dive deeper into the practices that help recovering people pleasers create balance, self-worth, and authentic connection.

Follow me on my other platforms and join the conversation!

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Feeling overwhelmed by the news, politics, or the state of the world? You’re not alone. In this bonus episode, MaryAnn Walker dives into how empaths and highly sensitive people can stay grounded during times of uncertainty — like the current U.S. government shutdown — without shutting down emotionally. She shares practical strategies for transforming overwhelm into hope and meaningful action.

Whether you’re stressed about finances, worried about loved ones, or simply drained by constant headlines, this episode provides tools to help you regain clarity, calm, and control.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How highly sensitive people experience macro vs micro stress during crises
• Techniques to reduce overwhelm while staying empathetic
• Practical ways to take small, meaningful actions that help both yourself and others
• How serving your community can regulate your emotions and restore hope
• Why staying centered in your values is more powerful than trying to fix everything

Challenge for the Week
Ask yourself: what is the one thing weighing heaviest on me right now? Choose one small, compassionate action that can lighten that burden — whether it’s donating to a local food pantry, reaching out to a friend, or simply taking a mindful pause for yourself.

Work With Me
If you’re an empath or highly sensitive person struggling to stay grounded in overwhelming times, I can help you find clarity, calm, and emotional resilience. Email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life or click here to get started. https://maryannwalker.life/contact-me

If you have been impacted by the shutdown, reach out. I have deferred billing and scholarships that can help. Want to contribute? Venmo me or add a few bucks to my digital tip jar!

Venmo: @MaryAnn-Walker-Life, Digital Tip Jar: https://maryannwalker-life.kit.com/products/tip-jar

Don’t Forget to Subscribe
If you found this episode helpful, subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes on emotional regulation, empath self-care, and navigating life as a highly sensitive person.

• MaryAnn Walker coaching: https:maryannwalker.life
• Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryannwalker.life/
• Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryannwalker.life
• Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maryannwalker.life
• Join my email list and get a FREE GIFT! https://maryannwalker-life.ck.page/3da1fd88a9

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Why many people pleasers struggle with anger (and how to start feeling it safely)

For many people pleasers, anger feels unsafe, unpredictable, or even shameful. But here’s the truth—anger itself isn’t the problem. It’s actually a signal, like a check engine light, telling us something is out of alignment.

This is part one of a two-part series on anger. In today’s episode, we’ll explore why people pleasers struggle with anger and the many ways it can show up. Next week, we’ll dive into what anger is here to teach us and how it can actually help us live more authentic and aligned lives.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why anger feels so unsafe for people pleasers.
• How suppressing emotions leads to shame, resentment, and burnout.
• The “rule of thirds” of life and why resisting emotions only compounds suffering.
• Sneaky ways anger shows up: passive aggression, sarcasm, silent treatment, martyrdom, over-accommodating, and more.
• Why anger is best understood as a check engine light, inviting curiosity rather than panic.

Challenge for the Week:
Notice how anger shows up for you. Do you turn it inward? Suppress it? Explode? Withdraw? Instead of judging yourself, simply observe your patterns. Awareness is the first step to creating change.

Work With Me:
If you’re ready to better understand your emotions and break free from the cycle of people-pleasing, I’d love to support you. Visit www.maryannwalker.life
to apply for coaching, or email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life
.

Don’t Forget to Subscribe:
This is part one of a two-part series on anger. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s episode, where we’ll uncover what anger is here to teach you.

✨ I'm currently offering 6 and 12 week 1:1 coaching packages where we’ll dive deep into the limiting beliefs shaping your life and create space for growth, clarity, and connection.

🎯 Ready to reserve your 6 or 12 week package? email me at maryann@maryannwalker.life to get started and inquire about availability.


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Related Episodes:

168: Am I The Jerk Now? How to Set Boundaries Without Becoming The Villain https://www.buzzsprout.com/2028767/episodes/17472392

162: How to Stop Fixing, Controlling, and Over-Accomodating Everyonehttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2028767/episodes/17147279

127: When Someone Makes You Upset: How to Control Your Feelings https://www.buzzsprout.com/2028767/episodes/15548383