The Subtle Ways We Abandon Ourselves (and How to Come Back)

The Subtle Ways We Abandon Ourselves (and How to Come Back)

From It’s Your World by Julia Hawkins

February 11, 2026 · 13 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the subtle ways we abandon ourselves emotionally and how to reconnect with our true selves.

Most of us don’t lose ourselves all at once. We lose ourselves quietly. In this episode, we’re talking about emotional self-abandonment, the subtle ways we override our needs, silence our truth, and choose connection over honesty without even realizing we’re doing it. What looks like being understanding, patient, or low-maintenance can sometimes be self-betrayal in disguise. We explore why so many of us learned to abandon ourselves in the first place, how anxiety and confusion can be signs that we’re not listening to our own inner voice, and why choosing yourself often feels uncomfortable before it feels empowering. This conversation is about self-trust. It’s about recognizing when you’re shrinking to keep the peace, over-explaining your boundaries, or convincing yourself your feelings are too much. And it’s about gently learning how to come back to yourself without shame. If you’ve been feeling disconnected, resentful, anxious, or unsure of your own intuition, this episode will help you understand why. You don’t have to abandon yourself to be loved. And coming back to yourself might be the most important decision you ever make.

People in this episode

Host: Julia Hawkins

Topics covered

  • emotional self-abandonment
  • self-trust
  • anxiety
  • boundaries
  • self-empowerment
  • disconnection

Keywords

  • self-abandonment
  • emotional health
  • self-betrayal
  • inner voice
  • anxiety
  • self-empowerment
  • boundaries
  • self-trust

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