Are You Mad at Me?: How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You

by Meg Josephson

Fawning is unconsciously moving toward, instead of away from, threatening relationships and situations. It’s overlooked in our society because it’s so largely rewarded.

The irony is that, in an unconscious attempt to avoid abandonment, we end up abandoning ourselves.

What feels familiar to the body is going to feel safe. What feels unfamiliar to the body is going to feel dangerous (even if it’s not).

Resentment is the magical little messenger that can support us in determining whether we’re fawning (resentment is present) or just genuinely being kind (there’s no resentment).