Leigh Shulman on Moving Abroad and Finding Your Path

When the pressure of New York parenting became too much—$20,000 preschool applications, psychological evaluations for toddlers, and a life that felt like it was suffocating her—Leigh Shulman sold everything and left. The author, mentor, and founder of The Workshop writing community joins Every Soul Has a Story from Argentina to discuss boundaries, narcissism, and the liberating power of knowing what you want. Leigh opens up about choosing "selfish" as her word of the year—not because she wanted to be selfish, but to explore what happens when you stop people-pleasing. She shares why boundaries aren't about controlling others but about deciding what you're willing to accept, how feedback differs from opinion, and the powerful reminder that "when you stop pleasing people, people will not be pleased." From navigating family dynamics to giving better writing feedback, this conversation is a masterclass in protecting your peace while staying connected to the people who truly matter.

0:00 - Intro and welcome
1:37 - Moving to Argentina
3:42 - New York pressure and leaving
4:22 - Learning to be flexible
6:29 - All feelings are temporary
8:48 - Twitter and toxicity
9:38 - Choosing "selfish" as word of year
11:54 - People-pleasing and knowing what you want
15:36 - Boundaries within boundaries
16:45 - Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
18:00 - When you stop pleasing people, people won't be pleased
19:50 - Silent boundaries and relationships
24:19 - Not telling anyone about moving
24:55 - Feedback vs. criticism vs. opinion
31:53 - Feedback exercise
35:28 - Calling people out with kindness
37:22 - Accepting people as they are
39:55 - Where to find Leigh

• https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
• Website: daralevan.com3
https://leighshulman.com/

QUOTES:

"Feedback is always about the other person's reaction. Then you strip it of the emotional content to serve your needs."
– Leigh Shulman

"All feelings are temporary—you don't know when the moment will change."
– Dara Levan