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 →
How I Celebrate Myself (Without Feeling Guilty About It) There was a time when celebrating myself felt...wrong. Like, who did I think I was to throw an internal party just because I said no to something that drained me? Or because I finally kept a boundary without apologizing six times after? That, my friends, is... Continue Reading →
How I’ve Repaired Relationships Impacted by Codependency (And a Few I Had to Peacefully Let Go) If codependency were an Olympic sport, I would’ve medaled in the early 2000s. Back then, I thought being the “fixer” of every emotional emergency was just what strong, loving people do. Turns out, it was just me subconsciously clinging... Continue Reading →
The Role of Trust in My Healing: Or How I Learned to Stop Side-Eyeing Myself There was a moment (okay, many moments) when I realized I didn’t really trust myself. Not with decisions, not with people, and definitely not with online shopping past 9 p.m. Healing was happening, slowly, but trust? That felt like assembling... Continue Reading →
Reflecting on the person I once was compared to who I am today fills me with immense pride. I look back and see someone who did the work, faced the challenges head-on, and persevered through moments of doubt. She learned from every experience, embraced growth, and embraced change. Now, she exudes confidence, takes pride in... Continue Reading →
Confessions of a Recovering People-Pleaser: My Hilarious Journey to Healthy Relationships Once upon a time, in a land not so far away (okay, my own life), I was the Queen of Codependency. My royal duties included rescuing distressed citizens (a.k.a. significant others, friends, coworkers, and the occasional lost puppy), fixing problems that were never mine... Continue Reading →
Releasing the Need for Approval: Reflect on moments where you’ve let go of external validation. My Ongoing Battle with People-Pleasing Rehab There was a time when a side-eye from a stranger could send me into an existential crisis. Did I say something wrong? Did I wear the wrong shoes? Am I radiating "bad person" energy?... Continue Reading →
Embracing Complex Emotions: My Not-So-Graceful Journey Through Anger, Fear, and Sadness Emotions are wild. One minute, you’re fine, sipping your morning coffee, and the next, you’re spiraling because someone took the last parking spot at the grocery store. (Yes, I saw you, Karen.) But instead of stuffing these emotions down like an overstuffed suitcase, I’ve... Continue Reading →
When you step into the rooms of recovery—any kind of recovery—you’ll quickly notice that they’re filled with sayings, little nuggets of wisdom often referred to as “tools.” These tools serve as gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) nudges to keep us on track or help us find our way back when we’ve wandered off course. One of... Continue Reading →
Examining Codependent Patterns in New Relationships: Reflect on how these patterns show up and how you manage them. Ah, new relationships—the butterflies, the late-night texts, the overanalyzing of every single emoji (does a heart mean love, or just "hey, you're cool"?!). But for those of us on a codependence recovery journey, new relationships—whether romantic, friendships,... 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 →
Journey On Strong 