Finding Laughter in the Mess of Growth When I started my healing journey, I took everything very seriously. I thought healing meant sitting in deep reflection, analyzing every emotion, and taking life lessons like a full-time job. It is important work, but somewhere along the way, I forgot how to laugh. I was too distracted... Continue Reading →
How I Respond to Guilt Trips (Without Losing Myself) There was a time when a sigh, a disappointed glance, or a few carefully chosen words could send me into a spiral of guilt. I’d drop everything to smooth things over, even if I wasn’t the one who caused the problem. That’s the grip guilt had... Continue Reading →
Learning to Take Up Space: One Awkward Step at a Time There was a time when my idea of "taking up space" meant making myself as small, quiet, and unnoticeable as possible. If I could have tucked myself into a pocket or blended into a wallpaper pattern, believe me, I would have. Speaking up? Asking... Continue Reading →
Something sparked a thought in my mind today while I was driving, though I couldn’t tell you exactly what it was. I just found myself thinking about people not liking me. In the past, that used to really bother me. I couldn’t understand why—especially if they didn’t even know me. It felt like a little... Continue Reading →
What My Inner Voice Sounds Like Now: How has your self-talk evolved over the years? What My Inner Voice Sounds Like Now: A Self-Talk Glow-Up Once upon a time, my inner voice was like that one overbearing friend who means well but has no filter. You know the one—the friend who critiques your outfit choices,... Continue Reading →
I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who, I feel, has lost her joy. I say this because I remember when I lost mine. I remember just how I felt, how I acted and where I ended up. Joy vs. Happiness Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are very... Continue Reading →
If you’re anything like me, Christmas time can be so stressful. As a codependent and people-pleaser, I always want to do the best I can for those I love and it truly hurts my heart when I feel I have failed. No matter how much recovery I think I have, I still struggle with this... Continue Reading →
It amazes me how fast we can get stuck in an unhealthy cycle of dysfunction. Life's circumstances and daily stresses can become overwhelming and we just want someone to listen as we work through the pain, emotions, challenges, etc, that each day brings. Unfortunately, because we all have these pains, emotions, challenges, etc, we get... Continue Reading →
If you describe yourself as any animal, which animal would it be and why? I'll start... I would say the panda. If you didn't know this about me, pandas are my all time favorite animal! Pandas are easy-going, playful, fun, funny and beautiful. However, they can be fierce! Don't mistake their gentleness and peacefulness for weakness!... Continue Reading →
While I was walking through my room this morning (doing God only knows what because I have already forgotten) I heard something on the TV that caught my attention, but only for a moment. The only things I remember are the two words "life-changes" and "transformation". It got me to thinking about the two and... Continue Reading →
I was doing some reading about boundaries and personal rights and it made me think of a castle. My life is now a castle in all its glory and splendor. You're probably thinking, "how in the heck did you get from boundaries and rights, to your life is a castle?" Let me explain, as I... Continue Reading →
Don't you wish you could just get on the "recovery elevator", push a button and be where you want to be in no time? I'd go straight for the top...healing, wellness, wholeness, happiness… within seconds. But alas, there is no such elevator, no such pill, no such magic. There is just the journey of each... Continue Reading →
Journey On Strong 