Using guided meditation for self love to reduce codependency

“People will only treat you how you let them treat you,” a mentor once told me when I was 18, struggling with my then-boyfriend's hurtful behavior. At first, I felt confused and unsure whether to take offense at the statement. “Of course, I’m not letting him treat me this way,” I retorted, not fully grasping the true meaning of his words. 

In hindsight, I realize that while I didn’t want that treatment, my lack of boundaries and self worth allowed it to continue. I didn't know how to express my needs and non-negotiables or communicate my desires healthily. 

So, whenever I felt mistreated by someone, I’d become angry and run away, perpetuating this cycle in my career and relationships until I finally learned the lesson.

Recognizing codependency and self-worth struggles

Like many others, I grew up in a family dynamic filled with co-dependency, though the symptoms were invisible to us at the time. 

I learned patterns of denial—ignoring my own needs and feelings to the point where I struggled to identify them. I learned control patterns—believing I couldn't rely on others and had to handle everything myself. 

I developed patterns of low self esteem—doubting my abilities and often judging myself as not good enough. I also learned compliance—staying in harmful situations too long and people-pleasing to avoid rejection while neglecting my values and needs. 

Avoidance became another pattern, where I would overwork to avoid emotional intimacy and keep others at a distance to avoid vulnerability.

Using guided meditation for self love and transformation

It wasn't until later in adulthood that I recognized these behaviors as co-dependency, preventing me from knowing my worth and having meaningful relationships. To change how I was treated, I had to become aware of these patterns and work to transform them. 

Joining a support group was a pivotal step. There, I found relief and inspiration in resonating with others' stories. With the help of a meditation coach and my practice, including rituals like self-love meditation, I began to rewire the childhood programming that had influenced my relationships and career. 

Meditation plays a crucial role in attuning my mind-body connection. That work allowed me to quickly recognize the body signs of when I fall into old patterns again, which still happens occasionally but has improved greatly. 

The power of meditation in reclaiming self worth

On the highest level, the journey is always about learning to love ourselves more fully, knowing our worth, and transforming our fears into love and connection. In meditation, we can tune into our felt senses, desires, needs, and boundaries, making this transformation possible.

During moments of stillness in meditation, we might notice areas in our body that ache with fatigue, leading us to surrender to rest and experience a blissful sensation of release. In the next moment, we may feel an ache, longing to connect with a loved one or embark on an adventure. This could be followed by irritation arising in our stomach, triggered by a memory of a recent difficult conversation. When we tend to everything arising within us with compassion—without fighting it but instead allowing our breath to meet those parts—we begin to transform and release stuck emotions, feel our feelings, recharge our energy, and tune ourselves into more harmonious ways of being, similar to how one would tune a stringed instrument before creating beautiful music.

In meditation, we can also set intentions for the kind of person we desire to be and spend time in communion with our higher self. By sensing those qualities of goodness expanding within us, we empower ourselves to know our value and change our patterns for the better.

Finding support in your self-love journey

If you struggle with knowing your worth in your career or relationships, I encourage you to spend time in meditation to build awareness within yourself and surround yourself with loving support. Many tools, such as Balance and free support groups, are available. I hope meditation becomes a part of your journey of recovery and transformation, as it has and continues to be for me.