Putting other people's needs first can look like generosity from the outside. But when it becomes habitual, when you find it nearly impossible to disappoint anyone or advocate for yourself, it often comes from a much more uncomfortable place: fear of rejection, conflict, or not being liked. You might end up resentful, exhausted, and unsure of what you actually want.
Therapy can help you trace where this pattern came from and why it's so hard to break. Often people pleasing develops as a way of managing relationships in environments where approval felt conditional or conflict felt dangerous. In therapy, you can work on recognizing when you're abandoning your own needs, building more comfort with disappointing people occasionally, and developing a clearer sense of your own preferences and limits. That's not about becoming selfish. It's about becoming more honest.