Podcasts > Good Inside with Dr. Becky > Calling All "Good Girls"

Calling All "Good Girls"

By Dr. Becky

In this episode of Good Inside with Dr. Becky, the host explores the cultural conditioning behind the phrase "be a good girl" and its impact on women's ability to express their personal needs. Dr. Becky Kennedy explains how this ingrained messaging can lead women to prioritize others over themselves, neglecting self-care and self-advocacy.

The episode delves into how childhood environments shape one's capacity for vulnerability and assertiveness in adulthood. Dr. Kennedy proposes dedicating a day to celebrate women reclaiming time, space, and self-care, rather than solely honoring their sacrifices for others. Her insights encourage women to embrace their desires and challenge the belief that their worth is tied to selflessness.

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Calling All "Good Girls"

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Calling All "Good Girls"

1-Page Summary

Struggling to Express Personal Needs

According to podcast host Becky Kennedy, many individuals face difficulties articulating their personal needs and wants, even when easily identifying challenges they face in life. She suggests this struggle stems from childhood conditioning that discouraged expressing personal desires, especially when inconvenient to others.

Cultural Conditioning of "Good Girl" and Its Impacts

Kennedy discusses how the phrase "be a good girl," commonly used in childhood, reflects deep-rooted societal expectations that women should prioritize others' needs over their own desires and remain compliant. This "good girl" messaging, she posits, can harm women's wellbeing and agency by discouraging self-expression and promoting self-neglect in the service of pleasing others.

Childhood Experiences and Self-Advocacy Ability

Kennedy explores how early childhood environments shape one's ability to advocate for personal needs as an adult. She notes that growing up in settings where vulnerability could lead to harsh consequences instills a fear of self-advocacy. Additionally, Kennedy explains that unconscious emotional imprints from past lessons can reactivate in the present, triggering self-silencing behaviors rooted in avoiding relationship disruptions.

Importance of Women Reclaiming Time, Space, and Self-Care

The podcast proposes dedicating a day in March to celebrate women claiming time, personal space, and self-care for themselves, rather than solely honoring their sacrifices for others. Kennedy calls for helping women embrace their desires and combat the belief that a woman's worth is tied to how much she prioritizes others over herself.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • While childhood conditioning can influence behavior, individuals also have the capacity for self-awareness and change, which can enable them to overcome past conditioning and articulate their needs effectively.
  • The phrase "be a good girl" might be interpreted in various ways, and not all individuals may perceive it as a directive to prioritize others' needs over their own.
  • Some argue that the concept of being a "good girl" can also be seen as promoting positive traits such as kindness and consideration, rather than solely as a means of suppressing self-expression.
  • The ability to advocate for personal needs can be influenced by a range of factors beyond childhood environments, including personality traits, life experiences, and education.
  • Not all individuals who grow up in environments where vulnerability is discouraged will develop a fear of self-advocacy; resilience and other coping mechanisms can lead to different outcomes.
  • The idea of unconscious emotional imprints may not fully account for the complexity of human behavior and the various conscious choices individuals make in their interactions.
  • While reclaiming time, personal space, and self-care is important, it is also valuable to recognize and honor the interdependence of relationships and the fulfillment that can come from supporting others.
  • The proposal to dedicate a day in March to celebrate women's self-care might overlap with existing observances such as International Women's Day, and some may argue for integrating these themes into broader discussions of women's rights and empowerment.
  • The belief in the worth of a woman (or any individual) should not be reduced to a binary of prioritizing oneself over others or vice versa; worth can be multifaceted and not solely defined by care for oneself or for others.

Actionables

  • You can start a personal needs journal to better understand and articulate your desires. Each day, dedicate a few minutes to write down anything you wanted to say but didn't, how it made you feel, and what you wish you had done differently. This practice can help you recognize patterns in your self-silencing and encourage you to speak up more often.
  • Create a "No" challenge for yourself where you say no to at least one thing each day that doesn't align with your needs or wants. This could be as simple as declining an unnecessary meeting or opting out of a social event that you don't feel like attending. The goal is to get comfortable with setting boundaries and prioritizing your own needs.
  • Organize a monthly self-care swap with friends where each person shares a self-care activity they love. This could be anything from a favorite workout, a book that encourages self-reflection, or a recipe for a nourishing meal. By sharing and trying out different self-care strategies, you can find new ways to reclaim time and space for yourself while also celebrating the practice with others.

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Calling All "Good Girls"

Struggling to Express Personal Needs

Becky Kennedy articulates a common issue where individuals have trouble expressing their own needs, especially when they conflict with others' expectations or conveniences, which could be tied to patterns established in childhood.

Struggling to Express Personal Needs Over Others'

Podcast Host Becky Kennedy: People Identify Challenges but Struggle to Articulate Desires

Becky Kennedy delves into the paradox where people can easily voice the difficulties they face in life, yet stumble when it comes to stating what they truly desire. She stresses the importance of recognizing and voicing one's personal needs by asking the fundamental question, "What do you want?"

Self-Advocacy and Need-Expression Challenges Rooted In Childhood Conditioning

Kennedy continues by discussing the discomfort many feel when considering their own wants and needs, suggesting this difficulty is often a legacy of childhood conditioning. Many individuals learn early on to prioritize the needs of others, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being. She raises crucial points about whether people feel they have permission to harbor personal desires, particularly when those desires may ...

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Struggling to Express Personal Needs

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • While childhood conditioning can play a significant role in shaping our ability to express personal needs, it is not the sole factor; adult experiences and cultural influences can also impact this ability.
  • Some individuals may not struggle with expressing their needs due to a strong sense of self and clear boundaries, suggesting that the issue is not universal.
  • The idea that voicing personal needs is inherently risky for relationships could be challenged by the perspective that healthy relationships actually require open communication of needs.
  • Prioritizing others' needs over one's own is not always detrimental and can be a conscious choice reflecting values such as altruism or community, rather than a compulsion stemming from childhood.
  • The emphasis on the importance of stating personal desires might overlook the complexity of human motivation and the fact that some people may genuinely find fulfillment ...

Actionables

  • You can start a personal needs journal to become more aware of your desires and how they differ from others' expectations. Each day, write down one need you have that you've been reluctant to express, and reflect on why you feel that way. This could be as simple as needing more time alone or wanting to choose a restaurant for dinner with friends.
  • Create a "permission slip" for yourself to practice acknowledging and validating your personal needs. Write down statements like "I give myself permission to prioritize my well-being" or "I allow myself to express my needs without guilt." Keep these slips in your wallet or on your phone and read them before entering situations where you might typically suppress your needs.
  • Experiment with a "needs negotia ...

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Calling All "Good Girls"

Cultural Conditioning of "Good Girl" and Its Impacts

Becky Kennedy discusses the cultural implications and conditioning behind the widely used phrase "be a good girl," which is often propagated during childhood and reflects deep-seated societal expectations placed upon women.

"Be a Good Girl" Reflects Societal Expectations For Women to Prioritize Others, Remain Compliant, and Subvert Their Desires

From childhood, the phrase "be a good girl" carries the weight of societal expectations; it reinforces the idea that women should put others' needs ahead of their own and comply with norms rather than assert their own boundaries or desires.

"Good Girl" Messaging Prioritizes External Approval Over Self-Expression, Harming Wellbeing and Agency

Kennedy addresses the issues embedded in the "good girl" message, noting how it can stifle self-expression by placing a higher value on external approval than personal needs and desires. This conditioning actively harms women's wellbeing and their sense of personal agency as it encourages them to subvert their own wants for others.

Self-Neglect From Prioritizing Others' Needs

The "good girl" messag ...

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Cultural Conditioning of "Good Girl" and Its Impacts

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Clarifications

  • The phrase "be a good girl" reflects societal expectations for women to prioritize others, remain compliant, and subvert their desires. It reinforces the idea that women should put others' needs ahead of their own and comply with norms rather than assert their own boundaries or desires. This conditioning can lead to self-neglect as women prioritize the needs and desires of others over their own mental and physical health. The messaging encourages women to seek external approval over self-expression, potentially harming their wellbeing and personal agency.
  • The "good girl" messaging can harm women's wellbeing and agency by prioritizing external approval over self-expression, leading to self-neglect as women suppress their own needs and desires to please others. This conditioning can diminish women's sense of personal agency, making them more inclined to prioritize others' needs at the expense of their own mental and physical health.
  • When individuals consistently prioritize the needs and desires of others over their own, they may neglect their own well-being and personal needs. This can lead to a pattern of self-neglect, where individuals disregard their own mental, emotional, and physical health in favor of meeting the expectations and demands of others. Over time, this behavior can result in neglecting self-care practices, setting aside personal goals, and experiencing increased stress and burnout. Self-neglect stemming from prioritizing others can have detrimental effects on one's overall health and happiness.
  • ...

Counterarguments

  • The phrase "be a good girl" can be interpreted in various ways, and not all individuals may perceive it as a directive to prioritize others over themselves.
  • Some may argue that the phrase is intended to encourage good behavior in children, regardless of gender, and is not exclusively aimed at promoting self-sacrifice in girls.
  • The concept of being "good" can be empowering if framed within the context of moral and ethical behavior rather than compliance and self-neglect.
  • It's possible to teach the value of kindness and consideration for others without implying that one's own needs and desires should be ignored or suppressed.
  • The impact of the phrase "be a good girl" may vary depending on the individual's personal experiences, family dynamics, and cultural background, and may not universally lead to the negative outcomes suggested.
  • Encouraging good behavior in children, including the use of phrases like "be a good girl," can be part of a balanced approach to parenting that also emphasizes the importance of self-care and personal boundaries.
  • Some individuals may have had positi ...

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Calling All "Good Girls"

Childhood Experiences and Self-Advocacy Ability

Kennedy delves into how our early years shape our ability to stand up for ourselves, particularly focusing on the impact of childhood experiences on adult capacities for self-advocacy.

Childhood Expression of Needs Shapes Adult Comfort and Capacity

Fear of Self-Advocacy In Disapproving Environments

Kennedy notes that from a young age, children, and especially girls, are often encouraged to prioritize the needs and desires of others over their own. She discusses the lingering effects of growing up in an environment where showing vulnerability or emotions could lead to dangerous consequences, such as harsh reactions from parents. This upbringing cultivates a fear of self-advocacy, as some adults may associate standing up for themselves with disruption and trouble in their relationships.

Past Lessons Can Unconsciously Reactivate, Causing Emotional Reactions and Self-Silencing

Further examining the roots of self-advocacy, Kennedy explains that childhood lessons—like the necessity to suppress vulnerability to avoid trouble—can unconsciously resurface in the present, triggering overreactions to similar situations. For instance, a parent may have a disproportionate response to their child's whining as it reflects their own past experiences where expressing helplessness was unsafe.

Kennedy delves into how our nervous system responds not only to current scenarios but also to the emotional imprints of ...

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Childhood Experiences and Self-Advocacy Ability

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • While childhood experiences can shape adult behavior, individuals also have the capacity for change and growth, meaning they can learn self-advocacy skills later in life despite their upbringing.
  • The emphasis on girls being taught to prioritize others' needs may overlook cultural, familial, and individual variations where boys are also taught similar behaviors, or where girls are encouraged to be assertive.
  • Some environments that discourage vulnerability might also teach resilience and coping strategies that can be beneficial in self-advocacy in a different context.
  • The idea that past experiences always lead to self-silencing can be challenged by instances where individuals use their difficult childhood experiences as motivation to become more assertive and vocal in their adult lives.
  • The impact of childhood experiences on adult behavior is complex and can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including genetics, peer influence, and later life experiences, which might mitigate or enhance the effects of childhood.
  • The concept of emotional imprints affecting the nervous system's response could be complemented by acknowle ...

Actionables

  • You can start a personal history journal to identify patterns in your reactions. Write down instances when you feel the urge to self-silence, and note any childhood memories that come to mind. This can help you trace back your current emotional responses to past experiences, allowing you to understand and address them.
  • Create a "self-advocacy script" for everyday situations. Practice with small, low-stakes scenarios where you express your needs or opinions, like choosing a restaurant with friends or speaking up about a preference at work. This builds your confidence in advocating for yourself in a controlled, gradual manner.
  • Develop a mindfulness routine that focuses on bodily sensations d ...

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Calling All "Good Girls"

Importance of Women Reclaiming Time, Space, and Self-Care

The discussion revolves around the proposal of dedicating a day in March to honor women's need for self-care, leisure, and personal space, as opposed to solely applauding their sacrifices and contributions.

Empowering Women to Prioritize Desires and Take Space

Becky Kennedy articulates the need of earmarking a date in March for women to celebrate what they reserve for themselves, such as time, personal space, and relaxation. This proposition is intended to counteract the conventional inclination to honor women exclusively for their sacrifices and contributions. The podcast calls for a reflective moment about what it implies for women to understand their desires, verbalize these ambitions, and handle the potential backlash from such candid demeanor. The intention is to embolden women to claim their space and desires.

Embracing Change Means Dismantling the Belief That a Woman's Worth Is Tied To Prioritizing Others Over Herself

The discussion shifts towards a broader societal reformation wherein the value of a woman isn't measured by the extent to which she places others before herself. The assertion ...

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Importance of Women Reclaiming Time, Space, and Self-Care

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • While dedicating a day to women's self-care is beneficial, it could be argued that true empowerment and societal change require more than symbolic gestures and should be integrated into daily life.
  • Some may argue that the focus on individual desires and personal space might overlook the importance of community and interdependence, which are also valuable aspects of a healthy society.
  • There is a perspective that suggests that self-sacrifice can be a virtue for both men and women when it is a choice made out of love and not a societal expectation.
  • Critics might point out that the proposal could unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes by implying that only women need to be reminded or encouraged to take time for self-care.
  • It could be argued that the emphasis on personal desires should be balanced with a discussion on responsibilities and the common good to avoid promoting a self-centered approach to life.
  • Some may believe that the idea of dedicating a specific day for women's self-care could be seen as patronizing or tokenistic, rather than addressing the root ca ...

Actionables

  • Create a personal "Desire Diary" where you jot down your wants and needs daily, without judging them. This diary serves as a private space to acknowledge and validate your personal desires, helping you to recognize patterns and prioritize your aspirations over time. For example, if you notice a recurring wish for more creative time, you might block out a weekly "art hour" just for yourself.
  • Establish a "No Perfection" day each week where you consciously let go of the need to do everything flawlessly. On this day, focus on doing things that bring you joy or relaxation, even if they're not done to the highest standard. For instance, cook a new recipe without worrying about it being restaurant-quality, or wear an outfit that makes you feel good regardless of fashion trends.
  • Initiate a monthly "Self-Worth Circle" with friends or community ...

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