I am kicking off a special 10-week podcast series leading up to my 50th birthday! Every Wednesday, I’m diving into a different life lesson which includes reflections on personal growth, resilience, and what it truly means to come home to yourself. Because birthdays (and personal growth) should be celebrated, I am also giving away a copy of one of my books each week on Instagram! 🎉 This first episode is all about self-abandonment, codependency, and self-trust—big topics that have shaped my own journey. I’m breaking down what self-abandonment actually looks like, why so many of us fall into that pattern, and most importantly, how to shift towards self-trust. If this resonates with you, stick around for the whole series—there’s so much more to come. What you’ll hear in this episode:  The Dance of Self-Abandonment: How it shows up in your life and relationships, the weight of shame and the inner critic, and how all the “shoulds” silence your truth in favor of the “safer, more reasonable” path. Meeting Your Inner Compass: Tuning into your body’s wisdom, laying the foundation for self-trust, and granting yourself the freedom to be messy and imperfect as you find your way back to yourself. The Courage to Stay: Choosing yourself changes everything—navigating the discomfort, embracing small acts of self-trust, and witnessing the powerful and often uncomfortable ripple effects in your relationships. As we move through this series together, my hope is that these episodes help you reflect on your own journey and what it means to come home to yourself. Building self-trust isn’t about getting it perfect—it’s about being your own safety net, moment by moment, with curiosity and compassion. Resources from this episode: Write Your Way Through It Sign up to make sure you don’t miss any of my birthday episodes! Find me on Instagram @heyandreaowen Minisode 657: Where do we go from here? Minisode 637: The anatomy of self-trust Episode 623: Gene Keys, Personal Discovery, and Purpose with Tracie Cornell Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/658 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices