Ever catch yourself saying,

“I’ll do it tomorrow”…

and tomorrow keeps moving?

Yeah… me too.

But here’s what I’ve learned—

that’s not procrastination.

That’s protection.

Movement without prioritizing… that’s just noise.

Movement without direction… that’s avoidance.

And we’ve been calling all of it procrastination

like it’s some kind of character flaw.

It’s not.

It’s a defense mechanism.

It steps in when something feels too heavy…

too vulnerable…

too close to failure, disappointment, or rejection.

And in the moment, it soothes you.

But over time?

It quietly pulls you away from your own life.

That’s where self-abandonment begins.

So instead of turning on yourself…

try turning toward yourself.

Ask:

What actually matters to me here?

What would it mean to show up—just for the sake of showing up?

Not for perfection.

Not for approval.

Just for alignment.

Then bring it way down.

Not the whole plan.

Not the big, overwhelming vision.

Just…

what’s the next smallest step?

Because the real battle

isn’t laziness.

It’s that space between not doing…

and doing.

And if you can close that gap—

even just a little—

everything starts to shift.

Take one step.

Within the next 24 hours.

Sooner, if you can.

That’s how momentum is built.

That’s how self-trust comes back online.

That’s how you stop leaving yourself behind…

and start coming home.

And if something in you felt that—

don’t just sit with it.

Do something with it.

Download the givingvoicetorecovery.c…

and take an honest look at where you’ve been abandoning yourself…

and how to begin again.

“If you feel responsible for everyone’s feelings…

you weren’t born that way.

You were trained.”

And if that hits a nerve…

it’s probably because you’ve been carrying a lot for a long time.

Maybe you’re the one people come to.

The one who fixes it.

Smooths it over.

Holds it together.

On the surface… it looks like compassion.

Like strength.

But underneath?

It can be self-abandonment.

Because somewhere along the way, you learned

that being needed meant being safe.

That keeping the peace meant being loved.

That your worth was tied to how much you could hold for everyone else.

And that pattern?

It works… until it doesn’t.

You start over-functioning.

Over-giving.

Overextending yourself into spaces that were never yours to carry.

And the cost shows up quietly at first—

exhaustion that doesn’t go away,

resentment you don’t want to admit,

and this subtle disconnection from yourself.

That’s the part no one talks about.

This isn’t who you are.

It’s what you learned.

And what’s learned… can be unlearned.

But it starts with seeing it.

Seeing where you say yes too fast.

Where you override your own needs.

Where your life has become reactive instead of intentional.

That’s where real change begins.

Because once you see it, you get to choose.

What’s actually mine to carry?

What isn’t?

You begin to separate—without shutting down.

To care—without losing yourself.

To stay connected… while staying rooted in you.

That’s internal authority.

And it’s not about caring less.

It’s about caring from alignment… not obligation.

That’s where your energy comes back.

That’s where self-trust rebuilds.

That’s where your life starts to feel like your life again.

So if something in you is recognizing this…

don’t just nod your head and move on.

Do something with it.

Download the Self-Betrayal Audit

and take an honest look at where you’ve been abandoning yourself…

and how to start coming back.

Ever walk away from a conversation and suddenly think of the perfect thing you should have said? Yeah. That. You’re not weak. You’re not bad at boundaries. And you’re definitely not the only one. What’s actually happening is this: In moments of tension or conflict, your nervous system decides whether it’s safe to speak. And if it doesn’t feel safe? Your brain does what it was designed to do. It protects the relationship instead of protecting your voice. So you: • go blank • say “it’s fine” when it isn’t • take more blame than is yours • or think of the perfect response… three hours later in the shower. Sound familiar? In this video I break down why strong, capable people lose access to their voice in conflict and how a simple shift in emotional presence can completely change how you respond. Because the goal is not reacting faster. The goal is responding from power. ⸻ Want to know where YOU might be unconsciously abandoning yourself? Take the Self-Betrayal Audit here: 👉 [http://givingvoicetorecovery.cohere.l...] Inside the audit you’ll discover the three hidden patterns that cause people to disconnect from themselves: • Losing your voice in conflict • Overcommitting your time • Avoiding action on what matters most Most people think this is a discipline problem. It’s not. It’s a nervous system strategy that’s now outdated.  The audit will show you exactly where it shows up for you. ⸻ If you’re new here I’m Elizabeth Edwards. I help people reclaim their voice, time, and self-trust by learning how to stay present and grounded under emotional pressure. Because when you develop presence: You don’t force boundaries. You become someone who naturally has them. ⸻ Take the Self-Betrayal Audit ⸻ If this resonated Subscribe for more conversations on: • Emotional sobriety • Self-trust • Boundaries without guilt • Nervous system awareness • Living from embodied personal power

In 2016 I found myself standing on a stage at the base of the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington D.C.. I was looking out at a large group of people who had come together to raise awareness about the opioid crisis. I'd been asked to come there to sing a song I'd written and recorded titled "Where Did Beautiful Go". I too had been affected by the opioid epidemic, but nothing had prepared me for what came next.

As I looked out at the crowd, many were wearing photos of their lost loved ones taped across their chests. The birth and death dates were written in bold letters underneath the images of these cherished loved ones who had lost their lives to opioid overdose. The dates represented young people and short lives, thousands of them. It was shocking.

There were speeches from dignitaries, experts, and advocate. There were parents, spouses and family members and people who had miraculously recovered. My heart hurt as I listened, the grief and anger palpable. Not only had this audience suffered the loss of their nearest and dearest, often their children, they had also been stigmatized for the way their loved one had died.

As I took my place on the stage, I saw a large banner with hundreds if not thousands of names under a header that read “Lost But Not Forgotten”. I started to sing my song and that is when I realized something else. In the face of all that these beautiful people had endured, they were there, to fight back and get the powers that be to recognize that this crisis was responsible for a massive and tragic loss of life. That the threat was getting worse, not better. These were the people who were sounding the alarm about the opioid crisis, they had lost their loved ones, and now they were trying to save others from the same fate.

The crowd had their signs for the protest march in hand and were ready to go make some noise. I would join them. They were in our Nation's Capitol to speak truth to power and demand change. I knew then and there that I had to do more.

When I came home, I met with my producer and co-writer Rick Barretta. I shared my experience with him. What became important to us in creating this song was to remember those that had been lost with dignity and to respect and honor these strong advocates who had transformed their pain into purpose.

This is that song.

Click Here to Listen to Song without story

Elizabeth

A special thank you to my producer and co-writer Rick Barretta for his contributions to this song and for capturing the essence of this song in this recording. A special thank you to Carl Wheeler and Julie Besancon for their amazing contributions to this song and for sharing their amazing talents! And a special thanks to Chris Vigil for the wonderful photos and images. For more about my music and my work Click Here.

Elizabeth discusses the fifth of the five patterns of Codependency - Low Self Esteem.

Sharing from her "lived experience" as a person in long term recovery from addiction, she takes a deep dive in to this common set of coping mechanisms.

The Five patterns of codependency:

Denial

Compliance

Avoidance

Control

Low Self Esteem

Here is the YouTube playlist link for this mini series

👉 • Codependency - Five Patterns

• Codependency - Five Patterns

In this five part series, Singer Songwriter Elizabeth Edwards will share her experience with Codependency based on her "lived experience". She offers suggestions that have been helpful in her recovery because she believes that many with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are limited by these patterns well into their recovery, as was her experience.

The Resources mentioned can be found at the link below:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.com/rec...

Elizabeth Edwards is a singer songwriter, and recording artist known for her smooth vocals and powerful lyrics. She is a person in long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder. She is a speaker and advocate for recovery causes and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Faces & Voices of Recovery. She is the host of the new Podcast Giving Voice to Recovery.

Giving Voice to Recovery celebrates those who have found purpose in using their voice to change perceptions and challenge stereotypes while inspiring hope and providing awareness to those still seeking solutions for addiction.

"There is a healing power in sharing our personal recovery journeys."

👍To Support Elizabeth and this channel please visit the GV2R Boutique:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.net/

The items in the GV2R Boutique are from Elizabeth's Lyrics and Designs and make great gift items to support people in recovery as well as support the podcast and the Giving Voice to Recovery channel.

💗For more about Elizabeth's Podcast visit:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.com/

🎵For more about Elizabeth's Music visit:

https://www.elizabethemusic.com/

#codependencyrecovery

#soberlife #werecover # recoverymusic #recoveryadvocate

Elizabeth discusses the second of the five patterns of Codependency - Compliance.

Sharing from her "lived experience" as a person in long term recovery from addiction, she takes a deep dive in to this common set of coping mechanisms.

The Five patterns of codependency:

Denial

Compliance

Avoidance

Control

Low Self Esteem

Here is the YouTube playlist link for this mini series

👉 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb-L01QploNM6QMhhHCfPNf8PLh97hG57&si=xEpNFjDD9D_HVTAJ

In this five part series, Singer Songwriter Elizabeth Edwards will share her experience with Codependency based on her "lived experience". She offers suggestions that have been helpful in her recovery because she believes that many with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are limited by these patterns well into their recovery, as was her experience.

The Resources mentioned can be found at the link below:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.com/recovery-resources/

Elizabeth Edwards is a singer songwriter, and recording artist known for her smooth vocals and powerful lyrics. She is a person in long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder. She is a speaker and advocate for recovery causes and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Faces & Voices of Recovery. She is the host of the new Podcast Giving Voice to Recovery.

Giving Voice to Recovery celebrates those who have found purpose in using their voice to change perceptions and challenge stereotypes while inspiring hope and providing awareness to those still seeking solutions for addiction.

"There is a healing power in sharing our personal recovery journeys."

👍To Support Elizabeth and this channel please visit the GV2R Boutique:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.net/

The items in the GV2R Boutique are from Elizabeth's Lyrics and Designs and make great gift items to support people in recovery as well as support the podcast and the Giving Voice to Recovery channel.

💗For more about Elizabeth's Podcast visit:

https://givingvoicetorecovery.com/

🎵For more about Elizabeth's Music visit:

https://www.elizabethemusic.com/

#soberlife #werecover # recoverymusic #recoveryadvocate