Let Go and Be Free Let Go and Be Free

In this week's episode, we'll review step six:
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
If you don't believe in God, it's still worth working this step. I suggest that you read the step as:
Were entirely ready to have all of your defects of character removed.
Or to boil it down even more:
Were ready to grow and change.
Being prepared to have your "defects of character" removed, means that you're ready to be free of your past and to grow.
If you read this step and think that you're "stupid" or "lazy" or "dumb," I ask you to embrace your inner child and to reframe those thoughts. We all make mistakes and do things that are "stupid, lazy, or dumb." 
That doesn't make us those things.
So, let's go on this journey together and see what we can learn. 
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Why do we limit and hold ourselves back?
In order to embrace joy, ask:
What makes you truly happy? Music, dancing, gardening, exercising? What activities can you practice to help you feel joy each day?  What can we do to quiet the negative voices and to focus on knowing that we are worthy of joy, happiness, and love?
  Support the Podcast:
Join the Let Go and Be Free family to support the show (for a coffee a month, you can keep the podcast going and get extra perks) and get the members only extra monthly podcast episode. Purchase one of the Let Go and Be Free books (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, and volume 4) or 30 Days of Gratitude: A Daily Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. Like or leave a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast. More Information:
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get additional help and support the podcast.

Step 5 can be a difficult step to review and process.
If you're new to the 12 Steps or need a refresher, here is Step 5:
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Working through the step consists of three parts: We reach out to God (or creation, a Higher Power, or the universe), self-reflect, and to someone we trust.
We're looking to to share, in a healthy and trustful manner, the darkest parts of ourselves.
Not to be judge, but we do so in order to learn how to learn new skills and to grow to let go of the unhealthy coping mechanisms and dysfunctional behaviors that have held us back.
Working through this step can take time.
Be easy on yourself.
Support the Podcast:
Join the Let Go and Be Free Patreon to support the show (for a coffee a month, you can keep the podcast going and get extra perks). Purchase one of the Let Go and Be Free books (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, and volume 4) or 30 Days of Gratitude: A Daily Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. Like or leave a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast. More Information:
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get additional help and support the podcast.

Adrenaline and always being "on" are common behaviors for those who grew up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family. But we need time to rest, not work, and to unwind.
That's hard to do in modern life, but also for those of us Type A personalities.
Exercises:
Turn off all notifications on our phones, disconnect, listen to the world around us. Watch and just listen. Allow ourselves time to just be. We don't need to work all the time. The challenge is: Asking for help so we can make time for ourselves. If we have everything on our shoulders, how will we have time to rest and heal?
Running on empty can't last forever. 
Support the Podcast:
Join the Let Go and Be Free Patreon to support the show (for a coffee a month, you can keep the podcast going and get extra perks). Purchase one of the Let Go and Be Free books (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, and volume 4) or 30 Days of Gratitude: A Daily Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. Like or leave a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast. More Information:
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get additional help and support the podcast.

What is Step 4 from the Twelve Steps of Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families World Service's Organization?
Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
This step allows us to get in touch with all sides of our personality (what we're proud of and ashamed of as well). Uncovers what we truly fear. How we've used denail. But denial takes many forms (minimizing, blaming, excusing, dodging, or attacking). And how we've kept up with unhealthy behaviors that used to help us as kids, but now only block our maturing and growth. Resentment has also blocked us from living in the present. We might be too focused on the past. Support the Podcast:
Join the Let Go and Be Free Patreon to support the show (for a coffee a month, you can keep the podcast going and get extra perks). Purchase one of the Let Go and Be Free books (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, and volume 4) or 30 Days of Gratitude: A Daily Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. Like or leave a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast. More Information:
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get additional help and support the podcast.

Part 1:

What did you need when growing up?
Stability, unconditional love, someone with strong emotional intelligence, empathetic, compassionate, and someone who listened to you and took you seriously. Part 2:

What did you need now in life? What's the same? What is different?
Stability, love, people to listen and interact with, and someone who makes you laugh (and not at the expense of others). Support the Podcast:
Join the Let Go and Be Free Patreon to support the show (for a coffee a month, you can keep the podcast going and get extra perks). Purchase one of the Let Go and Be Free books (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3, and volume 4) or 30 Days of Gratitude: A Daily Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics. Like or leave a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast. More Information:
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get additional help and support the podcast.