Hi, Reader!

It turns out…

Those of us who grew up with an alcoholic parent tend to have shockingly similar traits as adults.

When I first read Dr. Janet Woititz’s Adult Children of Alcoholics, it felt like she’d had a peek at my therapist’s notes.

👉Here’s the book, if you want to check it out​

I remember reading her list of 13 common characteristics of adult children of alcoholics and thinking:

“That’s me. Oh wow. That’s also me. Oh come on, that one, too?!”

Growing up in a home affected by alcoholism shapes us in ways we often don’t recognize until something or someone points it out.

Common Traits of Adult Children of Alcoholics

Do any of these sound familiar, Reader?

• Struggling to recognize what “normal” looks like in relationships
• Starting strong… but rarely finishing
• Being way too hard on ourselves
• Having a tough time relaxing or having fun
• Craving approval yet feeling totally different from everyone else
• Being loyal to a fault
• Acting impulsively, then cleaning up the emotional mess afterward

For me? It was all of that plus feeling responsible for everyone and everything around me.

Then I realized….

How to Change Your Adult Child of an Alcoholic Traits

What do you do with this awareness?

Here’s a simple, powerful exercise:

1. Pick one trait you relate to
2. Write down how it shows up in your life
3. Name the opposite behavior
4. Practice that opposite, even when it feels uncomfortable

My example:​
Relaxing is hard for me. Even watching a TV show feels unproductive.

So I let myself sit in that discomfort. I breathe. I stay.
Eventually, I settle in. It gets easier.

💡I even schedule time to relax now. Because it matters. It’s necessary!

This is just the beginning.​
Awareness is the first step.
And you don’t have to figure it out alone, Reader.

Hit reply and let me know what trait you're going to work on. I’d truly love to hear from you.

Resources and Recommendations

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Let’s keep healing—together. 💛
​Jody