An emotionally abusive or toxic relationship can make you feel trapped, small, and deficient. It can feel like an anchor weighing you down, suffocating you. People who grew up in dysfunctional, chaotic, or unsafe families, develop a set of coping skills that helped them deal with the chaos and dysfunction in their families. Although these …
Codependency is a complex set of traits and interpersonal dynamics. Recovery can feel overwhelming—especially in the beginning. To help you get started, I’ll describe three pillars of the framework I developed for codependency recovery and offer some reflective questions to aid you in changing your codependent thoughts and behaviors. The three pillars of codependency recovery …
Do you find it difficult to feel good about yourself? Do you compare yourself to others and feel defective, inferior, or inadequate? When you don’t have a strong sense of self-worth, it can be hard to set boundaries, prioritize self-care, ask for a raise, or have healthy, satisfying relationships with others. In this article, you’ll …
The start of a new year is a natural time to look forward—to think about what matters most to us, clarify what we want to focus on, and set goals or intentions for the year ahead. But let’s face it, it’s easy to get pulled off course—to fall back into old patterns of behavior and …
How to Change Codependent Thinking. In this article, you’ll learn about “codependent thinking” and how self-defeating beliefs can impede your recovery from codependency. You’ll learn how to recognize codependent thinking and replace it with positive self-talk. What is codependent thinking? Codependency refers to an unhealthy relationship dynamic where one person is focused on taking care …
What is self-esteem or self-worth? Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. It’s similar to the concept of self-worth (and I will use the terms interchangeably in this article). Our goal is to have high self-esteem, meaning we feel good about ourselves most of the time. We know we have intrinsic value. And we know …
In this article, you’ll learn about the psychology of people-pleasing: Why we do it and how to reduce people-pleasing and codependent behaviors. Do you have a strong desire to please others? When was the last time you told someone “No, I can’t help you with that” or “I have a different opinion”? It can feel …
The Need to Please: The Psychology of People-Pleasing Read More »
How do you know if you’re recovering from codependency? Recovering from codependency is a process — often a long and challenging one. You may find yourself wondering if you’re making progress. You may feel discouraged at times. And you may even feel like you’re sliding back into old patterns. These are all normal thoughts and …
27 Signs that You’re Recovering from Codependency Read More »
A strong sense of self helps us navigate life and brings meaning to our experiences. Use these 26 questions to know yourself better.
For years, I was a people-pleaser, perfectionist, and never felt good enough. I focused on making others happy, avoiding failure and criticism, and constantly tried to prove my worth. I was also riddled with anxiety. Perhaps you can relate. In this article, we’ll explore the connection between anxiety, people-pleasing, and perfectionism. And I’ll offer some …
Managing Anxiety When You’re a People-Pleaser and Perfectionist Read More »
