I have struggled with codependence throughout my life… and wasn’t even aware of it.
I had one very specific definition in my head, and none of my relationships met that criteria, so I simply dismissed it as an issue. The classic example is being in a relationship with an addict and enabling the addiction.
Later I learned that codependency can have a lot of different components, thus making it hard to see where the pattern might have been repeating itself.
Codependence may include any or all of the following characteristics:
-Lacking trust in yourself and having poor self-esteem.
-Having fears of abandonment or an obsessive need for approval.
-Having an unhealthy dependence on relationships, even at your own cost.
-Having an exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others.
And the list goes on…
But when we indulge, tolerate, or perpetuate a pattern of codependence, we rob ourselves of the opportunity for Self-Reliance, Self-Love, and Self-Empowerment.
We give away our power to someone else and lose the ability to trust our own gut, and confidence that we can survive without someone else’s approval.
In today’s episode of “The OverThinker’s Guide To Joy,” I talk about ways that codependence might be showing up in a variety of ways, and steps to take to break the cycle.
You can listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you or someone you know is struggling with codependency issues, let’s chat. You can schedule a free consult here.
Happy Wednesday!
xo, Jackie
