In this episode of the Open Late Podcast, Drea Renee, your new host, shares her journey with love codependency and the process of rediscovering self-love. Returning to the studio, Drea delves into her personal history, tracing the origins of her love codependency to a childhood fascination with love and the challenges arising from her parents' divorce. Drea recounts experiences of navigating unhealthy relationships, grappling with boundary-setting issues, and neglecting self-care. She also thoroughly explores the signs of love codependency, including obsession, persistent validation seeking, and a fear of solitude. On the other hand, Drea highlights the emotional roller coaster of extreme highs and lows, the compromise of personal values, and the neglect of friendships and family. Throughout the episode, Drea encourages listeners to recognize these signs as the first step in a challenging yet crucial journey toward overcoming love codependency and fostering personal growth.

In this Episode of Open Late:

Connect with Drea:

• Instagram: @thedrearenee | @openlatethepodcast

• Website: openlatepodcast.com 

• YouTube: Open Late Podcast

• Open Late Dictionary

8:10 It isn't easy to walk away, somebody can come up to you, huge red flag and this guy said to me “Drea, I don't want to be in a relationship” all I hear is a challenge, okay lets get it. - Drea Renee

10:08 My moment for me, my AHA moment was when I was driving late at night, I was crying hysterically. I had to be at work the next day. I had no sleep. I hadn't spoken to my friends or my family. All I wanted to do is get this guy to do what I wanted him to do, which was call me back, come see me, you know, whatever the thing is, text me back, whatever. And I thought to myself, I was like, wow, this is really taking over my life. - Drea Renee

11:04 When I'm in that space, I call her Agnes. And when Agnes comes out, it's just like, forget it. I mean, there really isn't anything that anyone can do. And that is how codependency works. It doesn't matter who's in your way. It doesn't matter what anybody says. You're gonna go do whatever you need to do to get that text, to get that person to see you, to get them to respond. - Drea Renee

12:53 That love codependency journey really started for me again when I was young and also me wanting to create this relationship that I didn't see with my parents. I just fell in love with this idea of love. And I still am in love with that idea of love, but it's more healthy now. - Drea Renee

16:11 Now I definitely have stayed in some relationships longer than I should have because I did not want to be alone I didn't want to get off work and come home to an empty house I didn't want the weekends to come and go to the farmers market by myself But at the end of the day and I used to hate hearing this. - Drea Renee

23:58 Do not take for granted getting entangled with someone. If you know you have a hard time letting people go, really stay vigilant and conscious of who are you attaching yourself to. - Drea Renee

27:48 I think being aware of your patterns when they become harmful, and they are interfering with your well-being and ability to live a balance life, that's where we can start from - Drea Renee

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