Practicing Radical Acceptance: It Is What It Is (Even If I Don’t Like It) I used to believe that if I just tried hard enough, planned well enough, and cared deeply enough, life would bend to my will. Spoiler alert: It didn’t. Instead, life did what it wanted, and I exhausted myself fighting against reality.... 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 →
A couple of weeks ago, I went in for my annual echocardiogram and CT scan to check on the uninvited guest that took up residence in my chest—an aortic aneurysm. At this point, I feel like it deserves a name. I’m leaning toward Stacy. She’s been hanging around for years now, making herself comfortable, and... Continue Reading →
February 2025: Deepening Self-Awareness: Recognizing Subtle Triggers and Handling Them Life has its ups and downs, and not all surprises are good ones. Sometimes, everything feels fine, and then out of nowhere, something small—like a song, a smell, or a random comment—brings up tough feelings. These moments are called triggers. They remind us of past... Continue Reading →
There are days when the struggle is real. I just want to state, for the record, that for as much as I’ve learned over these many years in recovery and for as far as I’ve come, there are still days I struggle. I would love you to think I have it all together and that... Continue Reading →
Did you hear it? It was so quiet one would scarcely notice. The "swoosh" of the backslide. My backslide. Not even I heard it. I was just there. I missed all the warning signs that I'm sure were posted all along the way. Do you know why? I missed them because I was too damn... Continue Reading →
The most you said with just one word Like most codependent, the hardest thing for me to do is say, "No". However, that tiny little word has given me so much freedom and has brought me to a place of peace and serenity in my life. Saying "No" has taught me how to set boundaries with... Continue Reading →
The one you kissed on New Year’s Eve. Well, let's be honest...I kissed them all on New Year's Eve. Right? Who hasn't kissed their significant other on this special night? However, I will tell you about the one that relates to my codependency. If I'm not mistaken, it was New Year's Eve 1989 (I could... Continue Reading →
The longest night you ever spent Being the people-pleasing, under achieving, no self-esteeming, flaming codependent that I was, I have countless long nights in my history. Each one of them brought on by my own poor choices and devastating consequences. However, since I am to write about the "longest night", I will write about the... Continue Reading →
There are times when I just have to stop and remember how badly I screwed my kids up with my codependent behaviors. You know the old saying, "Monkey see, monkey do". And then I realize that today I am in a place that I can model a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle. I am blessed... Continue Reading →
I can't really say that life has been hectic lately because, well, it hasn't. There has been some stress, but as usual, it all dances around finances, nothing new. I did catch the flu that left me down and out for about two weeks, but I have since made a full recovery. So why haven't... 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 →
Journey On Strong 