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Episode 88 Stop People Pleasing and be Your Full Self at Work with Sophie Jane Lee
Episode 8817th July 2026 • Unstuck & Unstoppable • Sarah Archer
00:00:00 00:36:32

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What if confidence isn't the thing you're missing?

So many successful women have spent their lives being capable, dependable and high-achieving, yet still find themselves holding back at work and in life. They say yes when they mean no, struggle to set boundaries and worry about being seen as too much, too ambitious or too full of themselves.

In this powerful conversation, Sarah is joined by author, speaker and founder of Electric Peach, Sophie Jane Lee, to explore the hidden ways women abandon themselves in pursuit of being more palatable to others.

Drawing on the themes of her book Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women, Sophie shares why the stories we tell ourselves shape the lives we create and why becoming unstuck isn't about fixing yourself – it's about becoming more fully yourself.

Together they discuss self-abandonment, visibility, boundaries, people pleasing and why doing the inner work matters if we want to stop shrinking ourselves and step into our brilliance.

In this episode you'll discover:

• What self-abandonment looks like at work and in everyday life

• Why successful women struggle to own their value and take up space

• The connection between our nervous system, safety and visibility

• How unconscious stories shape our careers, relationships and confidence

• Why boundaries feel so uncomfortable and how to navigate the guilt that comes with saying no

• Practical ways to build self-awareness and create space for reflection

• Why being 'full of yourself' is something we should aspire to rather than avoid

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Sophie's career journey and why she wrote Beyond Palatable

03:00 - Why women shrink themselves and make themselves smaller

04:00 - Understanding self-abandonment and the nervous system

06:30 - What self-abandonment looks like in the workplace

08:15 - The triad of oppression and the systems women navigate

13:45 - Are we making progress as women?

16:00 - Visibility, confidence and becoming 'full of yourself'

19:00 - Why there isn't a quick fix for confidence and self-worth

22:00 - Creating space for reflection and doing the inner work

26:15 - Setting boundaries and managing the guilt of saying no

30:00 - The stories we tell ourselves and how they shape our lives

32:30 - Sophie's final message for women who want to stop shrinking themselves

Connect with Sophie Jane Lee

Website: beyondpalatable.com

Website: electricpeach.co.uk

Instagram: @beyondpalatable

LinkedIn: Sophie Jane Lee

Useful Links

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If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with another woman who needs the reminder that she doesn't have to become somebody else to succeed – she simply needs permission to become more fully herself.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

Remember, you don't have to stay stuck. You can become Unstuck & Unstoppable.

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