Unapologetically Me: Celebrating 20 Years of Recovery and Growth

Today I’m Celebrating 20 Years of Recovery from Codependency and People-Pleasing!
And yes—I’m throwing confetti (and maybe even dancing a little).

Two decades. That’s 240 months, 1,040 weeks, and a whole lot of no’s I had to learn how to say. Today, I’m not just celebrating a milestone—I’m honoring every small, quiet, courageous step it took to get here.

Recovery from codependency and people-pleasing hasn’t been easy. It’s been like a rollercoaster with scenic stops, loop-de-loops, and more than a few gut-wrenching emotional drops. But here I am. Still standing. Still growing. Still choosing myself every day.

When I first started this journey, I thought recovery meant becoming someone completely different. But the truth is, recovery helped me return to myself, the self that IS completely different than the person I was. The self I buried under obligations, guilt, fear of rejection, and a smile that said, “I’m fine” when I wasn’t.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve learned:

• Saying “no” doesn’t make me selfish.
• I’m not responsible for how others feel.
• It’s not my job to fix their problems.
• My worth doesn’t come from being needed—it comes from being me.
• Rest is productive.
• And love doesn’t require self-abandonment.

There were relapses into old patterns, of course, there were (and on occasion, still are). There were “one more time”s and “maybe it’s different now”s. But there was also grace. Progress. Healing. And eventually, peace.

Today, I celebrate the version of me that couldn’t imagine making it this far. And I wrap her up in the biggest hug because she got us here. My life is filled with peace, happiness and contentment and it’s because she did the hard work.

To anyone just starting this journey—keep going. The freedom, the clarity, the quiet confidence waiting for you? It’s worth every single step.

If you’re looking for a safe place to heal, grow, and find lasting freedom from life’s hurts, hang-ups, and habits—Celebrate Recovery might be exactly what you need. It’s a welcoming, judgment-free community where you don’t have to pretend to have it all together. Whether you’re struggling with codependency, addiction, anger, anxiety, or anything else that’s holding you back, you’ll find real people walking real paths of healing—just like you. You don’t have to do this alone. Come as you are, and take that first step toward the peace and purpose you deserve.

Thank you to Celebrate Recovery and all the beautiful people who came into my life through this program and walked this journey with me! You know who you are and I am truly blessed to call you my brothers and sisters!

Here’s to 20 years. And here’s to the rest of this beautifully authentic, boundary-filled, peace-protecting life.

How long have you been on your own recovery path—and what are you most proud of today?
Let’s celebrate together.