Have you ever said yes when you meant no...

Stayed quiet to avoid disappointing someone...

Or put someone else's comfort ahead of your own truth?

Many empaths call this kindness.

But what if it's actually self-abandonment?

In this episode of Your Yes-Filled Life, Brenda explores why so many empaths override their own needs, desires, and inner knowing in the name of being "nice" and how that pattern quietly erodes self-trust.

You'll discover:

✨ Why self-abandonment often gets mistaken for kindness

✨ The hidden belief that keeps empaths prioritizing everyone else

✨ Why people stop trusting your yes when you don't tell the truth

✨ How self-abandonment impacts relationships

✨ The surprising cost of becoming a chameleon

✨ Why discomfort is not the same thing as danger

✨ A powerful reframe from participants inside POWER: Self-Trust for Empaths

✨ Reflection questions to help you identify where this pattern may be showing up in your own life

🎁 Download the Emotional Energy Audit:
https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

🎓 Register for the Free Masterclass:
Trust Yourself Again: Why You Already Know More Than You Trust
https://www.brendawinkle.com/nextlevel 

💜 Learn about POWER: Self-Trust for Empaths
https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendawinkle/ 

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, podcast, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, empaths, self-abandonment, kindness, intuition, self-trust, personal experiences, client stories, boundaries, honest communication, Power Self Trust for Empaths, self-care, emotional sensitivity, childhood trauma, complex PTSD, healthy relationships, self-sacrifice, emotional depletion, trustworthiness, authenticity, unspoken contract, discomfort, empathy, compassion, healing journey, integration, reflective questions, masterclass, Trust Yourself Again, self-inclusion, ambitious leaders, personal growth, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, relationship dynamics, social cues, self-acceptance, personal development.

Have you ever noticed that you can easily identify how everyone else feels, but struggle to identify—or honor—your own feelings, needs, and desires?

Many empaths, highly sensitive people, helpers, and leaders learned early in life that other people's experiences mattered more than their own. Over time, this can lead to people-pleasing, overcommitment, second-guessing, overexplaining, and difficulty trusting yourself.

In this episode, Brenda explores:

✨ Why empaths often prioritize everyone else's needs before their own

✨ How childhood conditioning and relational dynamics reinforce self-abandonment

✨ The hidden cost of making decisions based on other people's comfort

✨ Why self-trust is not about becoming someone new

✨ How to begin giving your own experience equal weight

✨ The powerful shift from "Everyone else matters" to "My experience matters too"

If you've ever struggled to trust yourself, make decisions without seeking reassurance, or stop overexplaining your choices, this episode is for you.

"The goal isn't becoming someone new. The goal is to stop treating yourself like the least important person in your own decision-making process."

TRUST YOURSELF AGAIN: Why You Already Know More Than You Trust

A Simple Framework for Returning to Yourself When Stress, Self-Doubt, and Other People's Expectations Pull You Off Course

Register at:
👉 https://www.brendawinkle.com/nextlevel 

Free Emotional Energy Audit:
👉 https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

Instagram: @BrendaWinkle
Website: https://www.brendawinkle.com/ 

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, empaths, intuition, embodying vision, self-prioritization, people-pleasing, over-accommodating, over-committing, emotional sensitivity, self-trust, personal stories, client examples, childhood messages, bio empaths, environmental empaths, emotional energy, asking for help, waiting for permission, self-affirmation, nervous system safety, breathwork, tapping, Trust Yourself Again masterclass, reclaiming voice, honoring experience, empowerment, ambitious leaders, gifts, clarity, freedom, self-doubt, emotional well-being, personal growth, coping mechanisms, patterns, external validation, decision-making, self-care, fulfillment.

Have you ever known exactly what you wanted to do... until someone else's opinion, disappointment, or expectations entered the picture?

If you're an empath, this episode is for you.

Many highly intuitive, emotionally intelligent people assume they struggle with self-trust because they lack clarity. But what if the real issue isn't knowing?

What if you've simply been taught to prioritize everyone else's signals over your own?

In this episode, Brenda explores:

✨ Why empaths often override themselves even when they're clear

✨ The difference between empathy and intuition

✨ How self-abandonment can disguise itself as kindness

✨ Why over-accommodating others creates exhaustion and resentment

✨ What it actually means to practice self-empathy

✨ How to trust yourself without becoming rigid or disconnected

If you've ever left a conversation wondering why you didn't say what you really meant - or found yourself seeking reassurance for decisions you already made - this episode will help you understand why.

🎓 FREE Masterclass:

Trust Yourself Again: Why Empaths Override Themselves—and How to Stop Abandoning What They Already Know

📅 June 25, 2025

⏰ 10:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM ET

Register: https://www.brendawinkle.com/nextlevel 

🔥 POWER: Self Trust for Empaths

https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

A 6-week live experience with 12 months of integration support.

Early enrollment bonus includes a private 1:1 coaching session valued at $600.

Enrollment closes July 7.

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, empaths, self-trust, intuition, empathy, self-abandonment, emotional intelligence, personal experiences, empathic abilities, masterclass, Trust Yourself Again, Power program, self-empathy, self-knowledge, emotional overwhelm, people-pleasing, boundaries, discernment, inner voice, second-guessing, validation, authenticity, perfectionism, self-care, compassion, lifelong practice, emotional burdens, self-respect, clarity, confidence, community support, coaching session, early enrollment, vibrant life, personal growth, transformation, ambitious leaders, gifts, embodiment, inner knowing, energy contribution, podcast engagement, self-discovery. 

Have you ever noticed that when life gets overwhelming, you start second-guessing yourself more?

Maybe your boundaries get softer.
Maybe you start people-pleasing again.
Maybe old habits and patterns you thought you'd healed suddenly resurface.

What if nothing has gone wrong?

In this episode, Brenda explores why self-trust becomes harder during periods of stress, emotional overload, burnout, grief, and depletion—and why returning to yourself is a practice, not a destination.

You'll learn:

The goal isn't perfection.

The goal is learning how to return to yourself faster—with more compassion, more awareness, and more support.

Keywords:

Brenda Winkle, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, Your Yes Filled Life, ambitious leaders, empaths, stress, self-trust, emotional overload, nervous system regulation, self-compassion, Empowered Empath Collective, Trust Yourself Again, emotional clarity, setbacks, personal examples, quiet time, practical tips, nourishment, hydration, rest, boundaries, people-pleasing, habits, emotional eating, self-care, healing, growth, breathwork, spiritual bypassing, perfectionism, support, identity shift, community, masterclass, self-trust for empaths, compassionate connection, emotional intelligence, resilience, mindfulness, self-awareness, personal development, podcast, mental health, empowerment.

What happens when you become the most emotionally aware person in your family… but everyone else stays the same?

In this episode, I’m joined by physician, stress researcher, and founder of the Family Reset program, Dr. Ali Novitsky for a deeply honest conversation about nervous system regulation, emotional labor, family stress dynamics, and what happens when one person starts healing inside a dysregulated system.

We talk about:
✨ why the most regulated person often carries the biggest emotional burden
✨ stress patterns inside family systems
✨ emotional contagion and nervous system overload
✨ boundaries, people pleasing, and self-trust
✨ why awareness alone isn’t enough
✨ how healing impacts relationships and identity

This conversation is for the woman who feels like she’s carrying everyone emotionally and is exhausted from being the one holding everything together.

🎧 Plus: I share details about Ali’s free live masterclass:
The Regulation Mistake: You Love Them & You’re Tired of Carrying It Alone
happening May 31. https://www.thefitcollective.com/teach (If you see this after May 31, this link will be to a replay).

Join the founding Family Reset:https://www.thefitcollective.com/brenda-winkle 

Connect and Work with Dr. Ali Novitsky: 

https://www.thefitcollective.com/ 

Work with Brenda

• Join the Empowered Empath Collective https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 
• POWER: Self-Trust for Empathic Women https://www.brendawinkle.com/power (doors to summer cohort open in June 2026)
• Free Emotional Energy Audit →  https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

Listen to Ali's previous episode on the show: https://www.brendawinkle.com/podcasts/your-yes-filled-life/episodes/2148277061 

#selftrust #nervoussystem #empath #boundaries #emotionalhealth

You can know exactly what you need…
and still not do it.

In this episode, Brenda explores why awareness alone doesn’t automatically create change — especially for emotionally intelligent people who tend to overthink, overfunction, and override themselves in real time.

You’ll learn:
✨ why insight doesn’t always interrupt patterns
✨ how nervous system familiarity impacts behavior
✨ what self-override actually looks like
✨ why perfectionism keeps people stuck
✨ and how practice builds self-trust over time

This episode also explores:
• emotional over-responsibility
• people pleasing
• shrinking yourself to preserve connection
• relational guilt
• nervous system repetition
• overconsuming content instead of practicing

Key reminder:
👉 “Awareness explains the pattern. Practice changes what happens next.”

Resources Mentioned:
✨ The 7 Types of Rest https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/ 
✨ Empowered Empath Collective https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 
✨ POWER https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 

Connect with Brenda:
Instagram: @BrendaWinkle
Free Emotional Energy Audit: https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, Your Yes Filled Life, awareness, change, nervous system, self-compassion, practice over perfection, emotional intelligence, pre-diabetic, health, boundaries, self-care, societal influences, patriarchy, discomfort, identity shift, willpower, resources, mental rest, creative rest, social rest, self-override, systemic issues, muscle memory, daily practice, breathwork, relational guilt, fear of disappointing others, implementation, avoidance, perfectionism, Empowered Empath Collective, leadership development, Power program, insight, action, emotional experiences, creative types, entrepreneurial, self-trust, growth, support, continuous learning.

What if your exhaustion isn’t only coming from how much you’re physically doing…

but from how much you’re emotionally managing?

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda explores the hidden emotional labor many empathic and emotionally intelligent women carry every single day:
✨ anticipating reactions
✨ monitoring tension
✨ cushioning truth
✨ replaying conversations
✨ emotionally pre-managing other people’s experiences

…and how exhausting that becomes.

You’ll learn:

This episode is a powerful invitation to stop disappearing inside everyone else’s emotional experience and reconnect with your own steadiness, joy, discernment, and authenticity.

Because caring deeply should not require you to abandon yourself.

✨ Resources Mentioned:
• Join the Empowered Empath Collective https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 
• POWER: Self-Trust for Empathic Women https://www.brendawinkle.com/power 
• Free Emotional Energy Audit →  https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, emotional management, emotional labor, emotionally intelligent people, chronic tiredness, emotional caretaking, energy, boundaries, self-trust, emotional steadiness, authentic communication, nervous system regulation, hypervigilance, emotional experiences, personal story, self-care, replenishment, saying no, discomfort, celebrate achievements, high achievers, empaths, resting guilt-free, emotional responsibility, creativity, joy, emotional regulation, authenticity, Empowered Empath Collective, Power Self Trust, empowerment, reclaim energy, clarity, living fully in your gifts. 

Have you ever noticed how quickly you explain away what you know?

Maybe you tell yourself: 

And before you even realize it, you’ve disconnected from yourself. In this episode, Brenda explores the subtle moment emotionally intelligent people begin overriding their own knowing,  and why this pattern slowly erodes self-trust over time.

You’ll learn:

This episode is a powerful reminder that: self-trust is not built through more information.

It’s built through embodied practice.

Reflection Questions:

🔗 Mentioned in this episode: 

Empowered Empath Collective https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 

Apply for the Ignite Retreat: https://www.brendawinkle.com/igniteretreat 

POWER - new cohort coming summer 2026

Free Energy Audit - https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, leadership guide, psychic, medium, somatic coach, trusting intuition, emotional intelligence, empath, self-doubt, personal standards, nervous system regulation, self-trust, daily practices, embodied confidence, decision-making, social pressures, external voices, internal wisdom, self-advocacy, emotional inconsistency, relationship standards, resilience, stress response, self-awareness, healing, personal growth, Empowered Empath Collective, mindfulness, body awareness, emotional regulation, connection, self-care, boundaries, reflection questions, personal transformation, intuitive practices, self-connection, self-acceptance.

Do you constantly monitor how other people are feeling?

Do you:
• over-explain yourself
• soften your boundaries
• hesitate to share good news
• feel responsible for other people’s disappointment
• carry emotional tension that isn’t yours?

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle explores why highly empathic people often confuse empathy with emotional responsibility — and how that slowly erodes self-trust, nervous system safety, and emotional freedom.

Brenda shares:
✨ the subtle ways emotionally intelligent people self-abandon
✨ how nervous system conditioning creates emotional hypervigilance
✨ the difference between compassion and emotional caretaking
✨ the hidden link between resentment and entitlement
✨ why emotional monitoring disconnects you from your intuition
✨ practical ways to stop carrying emotions that aren’t yours

This episode also explores:
• emotional contagion research
• nervous system safety
• self-silencing patterns
• overfunctioning in relationships
• somatic awareness
• rebuilding self-trust

If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying everyone else emotionally, this episode will help you understand why — and how to begin returning to yourself.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:
“How often am I carrying emotions that were never mine to hold?”

• Empowered Empath Collective  https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 
• Ignite Retreat  applications https://www.brendawinkle.com/igniteretreat 
• POWER Framework
• Emotional contagion research
• Stephen Porges / Polyvagal Theory

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, empathy, emotional responsibility, self-abandonment, emotional burnout, emotional caretaking, emotional contagion, nervous system responses, somatic coaching, leadership guide, psychic, medium, personal growth, emotional intelligence, boundaries, self-care, intuition, embodied confidence, emotional management, social interactions, self-awareness, emotional support, nervous system regulation, Empowered Empath Collective, POWER framework, breathwork, discomfort tolerance, relationship improvement, identity suppression, emotional noise, Ignite Retreat, personal story, social dance, communication needs, compassion, self-acceptance, mental health, emotional resilience.

Have you ever looked back on a situation and thought:

👉 “I knew it.”

You knew the conversation felt off.
You knew the red flag was there.
You knew you didn’t really want to say yes.
Or maybe you knew something was deeply aligned for you… and talked yourself out of that, too.

In this episode, Brenda explores the subtle but powerful pattern of self-override — especially in emotionally intelligent, empathic people who have learned to disconnect from themselves faster than they listen.

This episode dives into:

Brenda also shares personal stories about:

If you’ve ever felt stuck in loops of:

this episode will help you understand why.

✨ Because you probably didn’t miss it.
You felt it.
You just learned to override yourself.

The Empowered Empath Collective https://www.brendawinkle.com/membership 
Ignite Retreat Applications https://www.brendawinkle.com/igniteretreat

Energy Audit: https://www.brendawinkle.com/audit 

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:
“What do I already know?”

#selftrust #empaths #nervoussystem #intuition #personalgrowth 

Keywords: intuition, self-trust, emotional intelligence, empathy, inner knowing, societal conditioning, overthinking, physical sensations, somatic coaching, clarity through action, body awareness, discomfort, rationalization, boundaries, energy shift, mindset, embodied practice, Empowered Empath Collective, Ignite retreat, personal examples, decision-making, self-discovery, self-awareness, confidence, listening to your body, trusting your instincts, healing journey, emotional well-being, community support, personal growth, self-acceptance, overcoming doubt, nurturing intuition, practical steps for self-trust, mindful decision-making, Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life