(And the Day I Completely Forgot Everything I’ve Learned) Let’s be real, staying calm during conflict sounds great in theory. Deep breathing, mindful pauses, maybe a peaceful cup of tea afterward. But sometimes, despite all the personal growth and journaling and healing, something happens that makes all of that fly right out the window. A... Continue Reading →
Week 40: How I Stay Open to Growth
Embracing Change, Curiosity, and the Courage to Evolve I used to believe that growth meant fixing myself or reaching some finish line where I would finally have it all together. Over time, I realized growth is not about perfection but about staying willing to evolve. It shows up in the lessons I learn, the mistakes... Continue Reading →
Week 38: Celebrating How Far I’ve Come
Reflecting on the person I was versus who I am now There was a time when I couldn’t even imagine being where I am today. Back then, I was buried in self-doubt, tangled up in codependency, and constantly trying to measure my worth through the eyes of others. I said yes when I wanted to... Continue Reading →
Week 37: How Gratitude Shapes My Recovery
Holding on to gratitude when the world feels unbearably heavy I have always tried to hold on to gratitude, even in the hardest of times. It does not erase the pain, but it helps me carry it differently. Just the other night, my daughter and I were talking about the weight of the week. The... Continue Reading →
Week 36: Mentoring Others in Recovery
Finding Strength in Sharing the Journey When I first stepped into my own recovery journey, I never imagined that one day I would be able to walk alongside others as they navigated theirs. At the beginning, I was just trying to survive my own patterns of codependency, people-pleasing, and the weight of old wounds. Over... Continue Reading →
Week 35: The Role of Healthy Detachment in My Life
How I stopped swimming in other people’s drama pools For the longest time, I misunderstood “detachment.” I thought it meant cutting people off or becoming some kind of emotional robot. No feelings, no problems, right? Wrong. What I’ve discovered is that healthy detachment is not about shutting people out, it’s about keeping my heart open... Continue Reading →
Week 33: The Difference Between Helping and Enabling
Learning to step back so others can step into their own strength I’m just going to be honest here… it wasn’t until I was almost 40 that I even knew what enabling meant. For most of my life, I thought helping someone was one of the many ways you showed love. I was a fixer,... Continue Reading →
Week 32: Creating a Life That’s Mine
There’s something powerful about carving out a life that is fully your own, one that reflects your values, desires, and personal growth. It’s easy to fall into patterns or expectations that come from others or from the world around you, but crafting a life that’s truly yours takes conscious effort, self-awareness, and, above all, courage.... Continue Reading →
Week 31: Overcoming the Fear of Being Alone
How I Learned to Embrace My Own Company The timing of this topic couldn’t be better. Just last night, I came across a social media post that spoke directly to this, and it really hit home. I’ll share it at the end of this post. There was a time when being alone felt like torture.... Continue Reading →
Week 28: The Connection Between My Mind, Body, and Spirit
Reconnecting the Dots: Mind, Body, and Spirit in My Recovery For most of my life, I lived in my head. My thoughts were constantly spinning, analyzing, anticipating, overthinking, people-pleasing, worrying about how I was being perceived, and running imaginary conversations on loop like a bad sitcom rerun. My body? Ignored. My spirit? I wasn't even... Continue Reading →
Week 26: Letting Go of Deep-Rooted Resentment
Letting Go of Deep-Rooted Resentment: Releasing the Weight I Didn’t Know I Was Carrying For a long time, I didn’t even realize what I was feeling was resentment. I just figured feeling frustrated or a little bitter was normal. I didn’t really see that I was carrying it around like an invisible backpack I had... Continue Reading →
Week 25: Healing the Subconscious Mind
Healing the Subconscious Mind: Changing the Scripts That Once Controlled Me If you had asked me years ago whether I had deep-rooted subconscious patterns running my life, I would have confidently said no. I was just trying to help everyone, that’s all. That was the first clue. On my blog, JourneyOnStrong.com, I have shared a... Continue Reading →
