Courage will emerge deep in your heart. This courage will come in the form of being able to express your true feelings. No healthy relationship will ask you to sacrifice your boundaries, your self-respect, or your values.

For some of us, our upbringing was dysfunctional. We all had to operate with a script of survival mode. The dysfunctional patterns were seen as love instead of what it truly is, harmful behaviors.

We didn’t know healthy patterns from toxic ones. We didn’t know we had a voice. Our opinion didn’t matter. We felt dismissed and invisible most of the time. If you didn’t educate yourself on what childhood trauma looks like, you may be repeating those toxic patterns without realizing it, or attracting people who don’t truly honor or cherish your heart.

True connection only happens when we allow our vulnerability to show up. Please don’t misunderstand me, not everyone deserves to have a true connection with you. Some people will never truly and deeply connect because they like vulnerability. They always think they are a step above you. These people are unsafe. There is only one person who you can always count on and that is yourself. Having the courage to be vulnerable with yourself will create courage to make a change.

Trust me when I say that the greatest gift you will ever give yourself is to break free from toxic patterns by taking a look at the script we may be unconsciously repeating. When life is just not working anymore, when we feel so drained and lifeless, we are forced to finally have the courage to have a deeper connection with ourselves and be vulnerable. I encourage all of you to ask yourselves: what is holding me back from growing? What do I need to be able to make the healthier shift?

The answer is simple. It requires you to take full responsibility for your part in contributing to toxic patterns in any relationship. Please know that while you didn’t have any control while growing up with dysfunctional patterns in your household, you have the responsibility to do the internal work to shift away from broken and toxic patterns as an adult, now. You can do that! It is so important for us to educate ourselves on the ripple effect of emotional traumas.

I have created a unique 12-step program that helps individuals transform from the inside out to give you that solid foundation you deserve. If you are interested in learning more, click here for more information. I will leave you with this question; How can you allow your vulnerable side, despite fear, to ignite your courage? click here for more information.

Sincerely, Vania

Photo by Genessa Panainte on Unsplash