Grey Rocking vs. People Pleasing: The Masks We Learned to Wear
Grey Rocking vs. People Pleasing: The Masks We Learned to Wear  
Podcast: Talk Shit and Laugh
Published On: Sun Jul 12 2026
Description: Have you ever realized you've been wearing a mask so long you forgot it wasn't your face? In this episode of Talk Sh*t and Laugh, Michele unpacks her recent discovery of the term "grey rocking" — the practice of making yourself deliberately flat, boring, and unreadable. You've probably heard it recommended as a tactic for dealing with narcissists and difficult people, but Michele's realization was different: she'd been grey rocking her entire life, unconsciously, long before she had a word for it. Sarah's story is the mirror opposite — a lifetime of entertaining, performing, and betraying her own needs to keep everyone else comfortable. Two completely different survival strategies, one shared cost: losing yourself in the process. We get into where these masks come from, the difference between grey rocking as a deliberate boundary and grey rocking as a default setting, and what it takes to start taking them off. Listen to us on: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talk-shit-and-laugh/id1833034299 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6J16PGZiWtQdWat83ULW3O Amazon - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/66e7c860-dcf4-4ca2-bdf5-bacc3901d510/talk-shit-and-laugh iHeartMusic - https://iheart.com/podcast/289659802 Talk Sh*t And Laugh Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/talkshitandlaugh/ Sarah Walton -  YT Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@TheSarahWalton  Website - https://www.sarahwalton.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesarahwalton Michele Wang- YT Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@TheMicheleWang Website - https://www.themichelewang.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themichelewang