![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb12a697b-6c9b-4824-bebb-ef7dab56ef3d_800x596.jpeg)
Sunset (1900) by Felix Vallotton
Dear Polly,
I wanted to write pleasantries and then I realized that was because I was people pleasing and the whole premise of this letter is to share how I am no longer a people pleaser so aha! No pleasantries for you!
In all seriousness, I grew up with a pushover mother and an abusive father. I watched my mother walk on e…