Stage 4:  Rebuilding Your Identity

Red stylized phoenix with outstretched wings.

You don’t need to reinvent yourself.

You need to remember yourself.

You’ve been surviving so long you forgot who you were. We often look back and wonder who that person even was!  That’s not your fault—it’s by design of the abuser. But now you get to rebuild—not as someone who’s broken, but as someone who's becoming.

SIGNS YOU'RE IN THIS STAGE


  • You feel lost but curious
  • You struggle with making simple decisions
  • You don’t know what you like anymore
  • You feel moments of peace—and then panic
  • You feel like a blank slate

HOW TO RECLAIM YOURSELF


  • Revisit old passions - or explore new ones
  • Start developing boundaries that protect your peace
  • Journal: “Who am I without needing to be liked?”
  • Learn how to listen to your own voice again & trust your gut

HERE'S WHAT MADE YOU VULNERABLE

Black square with a white downward arrow.
Double quotation marks.

You were never too much.

You were just with someone who couldn’t handle your fullness.