Respect Yourself by Expressing Your True Self

Codependents, and many other addicts, have a difficult time expressing their wants, their needs, their very selves. For years many of us have felt unworthy of asking for help. We told ourselves over and over “I’m not worth it. I’m not lovable enough, or good enough to ask for help.”

EVERYONE is good enough and worthy of asking for help. We are all worthy of having our needs met, and sometimes meeting those needs requires outside help from our Higher Power and others.

Many people tell me that they find it hard to express their needs and ask for help because they are afraid of receiving a “No,” or of being rejected. The problem here is that by not asking for help we are continuing to say “No” to us and to reject ourselves. When we don’t ask for help, the result is “No” 100 percent of the time. If we at least honor ourselves by asking, we have a 50 percent chance of receiving the help we need.

Sometimes the inability to ask for help, because we feel unworthy, causes us to become increasing isolated to the point where we refuse to express any part of ourselves due to fear of rejection. People don’t really know us because we don’t allow them to see inside of us by truly expressing who we are. If we become too turned-in on ourselves, even we lose touch with who we truly are. Then we become like play dough. We allow others to mold us into whomever they want us to be.

Take a lesson from Madonna: Learn to push past your fears, fueled by the false beliefs that you aren’t good enough, and start expressing your true self along with your true wants and needs. If others don’t like your true self, just walk away from them. They aren’t meant to be part of your life. And if others say “No” to your wants and needs, don’t take it personally. Again just walk away. And keep walking till you find the right people to love you and who will value your needs as you value theirs.