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November 19, 2024 • 12 mins

50 Journal Prompts For Codependency

Are you ready to regain your sense of self in your relationships? Unlock the secrets of breaking free from codependency with insights inspired by Lestallion's blog. We'll navigate the complex dynamics of codependent relationships, starting with the metaphor of a seesaw to spotlight the imbalance that often leads to a loss of identity. Through thought-provoking journal prompts, discover how to recognize patterns of people-pleasing and low self-esteem, and learn to differentiate between healthy support and the rescuer complex. This episode invites you on a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery, encouraging introspection about your roles and emotions in your relationships.

As we explore the path to healthier connections, we'll discuss the importance of building self-confidence and fostering mutually supportive relationships. With inspiration from Lestallion, we highlight the role of trust, respect, and community in overcoming codependency. Along the way, we remind you that therapists, support groups, and trusted friends are invaluable allies in this ongoing journey. Embrace each step toward better relationships as a personal victory and a commitment to continuous growth and learning. Join us in this empowering episode as we chart the course toward thriving, balanced connections.

LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, ready to dive deep into something kind of
tricky Codependency.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh yeah, Codependency .
It's something that I think alot of people can relate to.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Yeah, and I think it's something that can be
really hard to identify,definitely so.
Today we're looking at thisblog post from the Lestallion.
It's called 50 Journal Promptsfor Codependency.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh, interesting.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
And I think it's going to be really interesting
to kind of go through theseprompts and see how they can
help us understand ourselves andour relationships better.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, I think journaling can be a really
powerful tool for self-discovery.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Totally Okay.
So first things first.
For someone who's likecodependency, what is that?
How would you explain it?

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, I think a good way to think about it is like a
seesaw.
You know how a seesaw needsbalance to work.
So in a relationship, if oneperson's needs and emotions are
always outweighing the others,it's like that seesaw is stuck,
and that's kind of whatcodependency is.
It's this imbalance where oneperson relies so heavily on the
other person for validation thattheir own identity gets blurry.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
So it's more than just being clingy.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, it's deeper than that.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
It's like your whole sense of self gets wrapped up in
the other person.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Exactly, and it can lead to a lot of problems down
the line.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Like what?
What are some of the red flags?

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, I think one of the biggest ones is sacrificing
your own needs to please theother person.
And this can show up in a lotof different ways, like saying
yes to things you don't want todo, or always putting their
needs before your own.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
I've totally been there.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, and over time this can lead to feeling
resentful and even losingyourself in the relationship.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
That makes sense.
That's where the journalingcomes in, right, yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Journaling can help you start to unpack all of that
and figure out what's reallygoing on.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, so let's dig into some of these listallion
prompts.
Their first section is allabout understanding yourself,
which makes sense.
Gotta start with the basics,right?

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right.
Self-awareness is key.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
And they have this one prompt that really jumped
out at me Reflect on a time whenyou felt overly responsible for
someone else's emotions.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Oh, that's a good one .
That definitely speaks to acodependent tendency.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Right, like if someone's upset, it
automatically becomes my problemto fix.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
It's that people pleasing instinct in overdrive.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
And I think for a lot of us it comes from this place
of thinking that our value comesfrom making others happy.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Absolutely, instead of recognizing our own inherent
worth.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
Whoa yeah.
So constantly putting othersfirst can actually be a sign of
low self-esteem.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
It can be and there's another prompt in this section
that gets at this Describe asituation where you neglected
your own needs to please someoneelse.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
Oof that one hits close to home.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's about recognizing those moments where
we abandon ourselves to avoidconflict or get approval.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah, I think we've all been there at some point.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
And it's not about beating ourselves up for it.
It's about using thoseexperiences to learn and grow.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
That's so true.
So we're already seeing howthese prompts can be powerful,
right?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Definitely they help us see those patterns that we
might not even be aware of.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
It's like they're holding up a mirror to our soul.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Exactly, and sometimes that can.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
I'm ready to get uncomfortable.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Me too.
So are you ready to move on tothe next section?

Speaker 1 (03:14):
Let's do it.
I want to see how all of thisplays out in our relationships
with other people.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Okay, let's dive into those prompts about exploring
relationships.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
I think it's going to get really interesting.
All right, I'm ready.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Okay, let's go.
So now we're getting into howcodependency shows up in our
actual relationships.
Right, because dependency showsup in our actual relationships
Right, because it's one thing tounderstand it in theory, yeah,
but then, yeah, you got to seeit in action.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
You got to see how it plays out with like a partner
or a friend or a family member.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Exactly, and these listallion prompts they really
get into that dynamic.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
OK, so give me an example.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
OK, so there's this one.
Think about a significantrelationship in your life.
How does it make you feel andwhat role do you play in it?

Speaker 1 (03:56):
I like that.
It goes deeper than just likedo you like this person?
It's getting at the feeling.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah, the feeling is key because you know
codependency it can disguiseitself as love.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Oh yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
So you have to pay attention to those subtle cues.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
So like what kind of cues are we talking about?

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Like do you feel energized or depleted in this
relationship?
Are you constantly like walkingon eggshells, or are you always
the one fixing things?

Speaker 1 (04:22):
Oh, those are some good questions to ask yourself.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
Yeah, they can be real eye openers.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
I'm starting to see how these prompts can be like a
relationship diagnostic tool.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
Exactly.
They can help you identify someof those unhealthy patterns.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
And once you identify them, you can start to change
them.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Right, and speaking of patterns, here's another
prompt that's really relevant,right about a time when you felt
you had to fix someone else'sproblems.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
The classic rescuer complex.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
But hold on.
Isn't it a good thing to wantto help someone?

Speaker 2 (04:52):
It depends.
It's all about the intentversus the impact.
If you're constantly swoopingin to see someone, you might
actually be enabling them.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
Oh, that's interesting.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
Or preventing them from learning and growing on
their own.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
So, like even with good intentions, you could be
doing more harm than good.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, and it can also create an imbalance of power in
the relationship.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Hmm, it makes you think.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
It does, so sometimes the most helpful thing you can
do is step back and let theperson figure things out on
their own.

Speaker 1 (05:21):
Give them the space to grow.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
This is reminding me of something Lestallion said in
the blog post Go on.
They said that healthyrelationships are built on
mutual respect and understanding, which sounds so obvious.
It does, but in practice it canbe so hard.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, it's a lot more nuanced than it seems on the
surface.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
Because with codependency, respect can get
all out of whack.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
Totally Like.
One person's needs might alwayscome first.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
And that's not healthy for anyone in the long
run.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
Nope.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Not sustainable at all.
So how do we shift from thatcodependent mindset to something
that's more like balanced andempowering?

Speaker 2 (05:57):
Well, that's where the next set of prompts comes in
.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
Lay it on me.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
Lestallion dives into building self-confidence and
embracing independence, whichare like the antidotes to
codependency.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
Interesting.
So we're moving from fixingothers to empowering ourselves.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
Exactly, it's a total game changer.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Okay, I'm here for it .
Tell me more.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
So one prompt that really gets to the heart of this
is think about a time when youmade a decision based solely on
your own needs.

Speaker 1 (06:22):
Whoa, that's a tough one.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
It can be, especially if you're used to putting
everyone else first.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
But it's crucial, right.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
It is.
It's about recognizing thatyour needs and desires are valid
and that it's OK to prioritizethem.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
Without feeling guilty.

Speaker 2 (06:37):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
It's like finally saying, hey, my needs matter too
.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
It's a revolutionary act of self-care.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
And it ties into another prompt that I love
Reflect on your personal goals.
How do they align with yourvalues?

Speaker 2 (06:50):
Oh yeah, that one's good.
It helps you reconnect withthose passions and dreams that
you might have put on hold.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
Because you were busy taking care of everyone else
Right.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
It's about reclaiming your own life and your own
narrative.

Speaker 1 (07:02):
And that can be both exhilarating and terrifying.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
Oh, absolutely.
It's like stepping out of afamiliar role and into the
unknown.

Speaker 1 (07:08):
Yeah, you're not the caretaker anymore, you're.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
You're the protagonist of your own story.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
And I love how the Stallion talks about
independence.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
How do they put it?

Speaker 1 (07:15):
They say it's a journey of self-discovery and
personal growth.
It's not a destination, it's anongoing process.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
So true, it's about shedding those layers of
people-pleasing and uncoveringyour authentic self.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
Okay, we've talked about understanding ourselves,
navigating our relationships,building self-confidence and
embracing independence.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
It's a lot to unpack understanding ourselves,
navigating our relationships,building self-confidence and
embracing independence.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
It's a lot to unpack, yeah, but I think we're getting
somewhere.
So what's the final piece ofthe puzzle?
How do we actually cultivatehealthy relationships?

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Well, that's where Lestallion's final set of
prompts comes in, and I thinkyou're going to love this part.

Speaker 1 (07:48):
Okay, hit me with it.
I'm ready to createrelationships that feel good and
supportive and not totallydraining.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
I think you're going to find these prompts really
helpful.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
All right.
So we've done all this innerwork, figured out our patterns,
built up our self-confidence.

Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah, we've laid the groundwork.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
Now, how do we actually put this all into
practice, like, how do we buildhealthy relationships?
Lestallion, help us out here.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
They do.
They have this last section,all about cultivating healthy
relationships.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
Okay, yeah, because it's one thing to know what a
healthy relationship should looklike, but then it's like okay,
how do I actually how?

Speaker 2 (08:23):
do you make it happen ?

Speaker 1 (08:23):
Yeah, how do I create that?

Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
So what's the secret sauce?

Speaker 2 (08:26):
Well, one of the key ingredients, I think, is
boundaries.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
Boundaries oh yeah, those are important.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah, and Lestallion has this prompt Describe a
moment when you set a healthyboundary in a relationship
relationship.

Speaker 1 (08:41):
Okay, so it's not just about like knowing what
your boundaries are.
It's about actually enforcingthem, yeah, putting them out
there.
Yes, which can be really hard,oh my gosh so hard, especially
if you're used to peoplepleasing.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
Right, it can feel so uncomfortable at first.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
But it's so important it is.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
It's about saying, hey, this is what I'm okay with
and this is what I'm not okaywith.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
And that takes practice right, Like you.
Don't just wake up one day andsuddenly You're a boundary
setting master.
Exactly yeah, it's a skill youhave to develop.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
I like that the prompt also asks you to think
about how the other personreacted to your boundary.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
Oh, that's a good point, because that tells you a
lot about the relationship.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
It does Like did they respect your boundary or did
they try to push back?

Speaker 1 (09:22):
Or guilt you into giving in.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (09:25):
So even the way someone responds to a boundary
can be like a little red flag.

Speaker 2 (09:29):
It can be a big red flag.

Speaker 1 (09:30):
Okay, this is making me think about all my
relationships.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
I know right, it's a lot to process.

Speaker 1 (09:35):
It is, but in a good way, in a growth kind of way,
exactly.
Okay, so boundaries are huge.
What else is important forbuilding those healthy
connections?

Speaker 2 (09:45):
Communication Lestallion.
Has this prompt Reflect on youremotional needs?
How do you express them in yourrelationships?

Speaker 1 (09:53):
Ooh emotional needs that's deeper than just like
practical needs, right it?

Speaker 2 (09:57):
is.
It's about those core needsthat we all have like feeling
loved and respected andsupported.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
And safe.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
And safe, yes, and in codependent relationships those
needs often get overlooked.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
Because you're so focused on the other person's
needs.

Speaker 2 (10:11):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
So this prompt is encouraging us to like turn the
spotlight back on ourselves alittle bit and to figure out how
to communicate those needs in ahealthy way.
Yeah, because it's not aboutbeing demanding or needy.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Right, it's about being assertive and clear about
what you need.

Speaker 1 (10:27):
While still being respectful of the other person.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
It's a balance.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
It is a balance, for sure.

Speaker 2 (10:31):
But it's a balance worth finding.

Speaker 1 (10:33):
I'm really liking these Lestallian prompts.
They're so thought provoking.

Speaker 2 (10:36):
They are.
They really get you thinkingabout your relationships in a
whole new way.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
And you know what else I appreciate about this
blog post.
They emphasize the importanceof those core values.
Like what Like trust andrespect and mutual support.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
Oh yeah, those are essential for any healthy
relationship.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
And I think sometimes we forget that those things
don't just happen automatically.

Speaker 2 (10:58):
You have to work at them.

Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah, you have to nurture them and make them a
priority.

Speaker 2 (11:01):
And be willing to put in the effort.

Speaker 1 (11:03):
So it's not about finding the perfect partner.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
It's about creating the right conditions for a
healthy relationship to thrive.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
This has been such a great deep dive.
I feel like we've covered somuch ground.

Speaker 2 (11:14):
We have, from unpacking codependency to
exploring our patterns, tobuilding self-confidence and now
we're equipped to actually goout there and build healthy
relationships.
Yes, and remember it's ajourney, not a destination.
There will be bumps along theway, for sure, but every step
you take towards greaterself-awareness and healthier
connections is a win.

Speaker 1 (11:35):
So true and listeners if you're feeling lost or
overwhelmed or just need alittle extra support.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
Don't be afraid to reach out.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yeah, there are so many resources available, like
therapists, support groups, eventrusted friends.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
People who want to see you succeed.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
Exactly and, as Lestallion says, healthy
relationships are built on trust, respect and mutual support.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Couldn't have said it better myself.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
So, on that note, I think it's time to wrap up this
deep dive.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
Thank you for joining us on this exploration of
codependency and the power ofjournaling.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
It's been a pleasure.

Speaker 1 (12:06):
Until next time, keep diving deep, keep learning and
keep growing.
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