What if the love you were taught to fight for… was never love at all?
In this episode of Unfiltered & Unapologetic, Caitlin Gil-Soto explores how Dominican culture taught us to suffer in silence, romanticize pain, and stay no matter what. From bachatas and telenovelas to church teachings and family pressure, we were conditioned to call chaos “chemistry” and self-abandonment “strength.”
But love doesn’t have to hurt to be real. This episode is about reclaiming peace, breaking generational patterns, and remembering that you are worthy of softness, safety, and clarity in love.
✨ Segment Breakdown
Segment 1: We Were Taught to Stay, Not to See
Why endurance was mistaken for love.
📝 Prompt: What did I witness growing up that shaped my idea of love?
💬 Affirmation: I choose love that nourishes, not love that drains.
Segment 2: That Wasn’t Love — That Was Survival
Trauma bonding and nervous system confusion.
📝 Prompt: How has my body confused chaos with love?
💬 Affirmation: I am safe in peace. I deserve love that calms me.
Segment 3: Self-Abandonment Wears Many Outfits
The subtle ways we disappear to be loved.
📝 Prompt: How have I abandoned myself in relationships?
💬 Affirmation: My voice and needs matter.
Segment 4: Peace Doesn’t Mean Boring — It Means Regulated
Releasing the addiction to intensity.
📝 Prompt: What would love look like without survival mode?
💬 Affirmation: I embrace love that doesn’t confuse my spirit.
Segment 5: The First Time I Let Go
Softness as strength and the power of clarity.
📝 Prompt: What made me distrust tenderness, and what would it feel like to trust it again?
💬 Affirmation: I can be strong, whole, and tender.
Segment 6: You’re Not Broken for Wanting Peace
Breaking cultural cycles and choosing yourself.
📝 Prompt: What parts of me have I silenced to feel loved — and how can I reclaim them?
💬 Affirmation: I am not too much for asking for peace. I finally know I deserve it.
🎧 Support the podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2257652/support
🖊️ Grab your blank journals:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DDM9DSRX/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=9ec31b28-6a6e-49f2-83a5-2f3e39ccafcd&ref_=ap_rdr
📲 Follow on IG:
@unfilandunapologeticpod & @caitlinlajefaa
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