Unearthing My True Self—How ARCS Changed Everything

I truly believe the Universe always has our best interests at heart. 

So when I say, “I found ARCS,” what I really mean is that it was divinely placed into my life—at exactly the right time.

ARCS saved my life.

I wasn’t in immediate danger. I wasn’t struggling with addiction, crime, or anything extreme. But I was trapped in a toxic, abusive relationship—with myself.

My own behaviors and attitudes were suffocating my spirit. My true self had become so buried, I wasn’t even sure she was still alive within me.

I am a Codependent.

I am a recovering adult child of an alcoholic and a dysfunctional home, and I am healing from the behavioral patterns that shaped my relationships.

These things will always be true... But I am also so much more than that.

It has taken me nine months of deep exploration—ARCS holding my hand the entire way—to truly begin to believe that.

When I found ARCS, I was struggling through a painful breakup. 

I had discovered a book by a Buddhist monk and became obsessed with his teachings. I started practicing breathe work—just trying to keep myself from constant panic, just trying to function.

And then… something shifted.

My vibration started to rise. I felt the Universe supporting me, guiding me. I was handed exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it.

That’s when I opened myself to Reiki, to gratitude, to healing.

I read about the inner child and came across ACoA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) for the first time. But these were just concepts to me—I didn’t know what to do with them.

Then ARCS came along, and ARCS quickly became one of the things I am most grateful for.

I attended my first ARCS class on a Sunday evening. I didn’t know what to expect.

What I found was a safe space—a circle of women who had been through it all. They were kind, understanding, and completely non-judgmental. These were the strongest, most inspiring souls I had never even met.

And for the first time in my life, I felt that imperfection was okay and I wasn’t alone. 

I signed up immediately and  felt it in my gut, that this was meant to be part of my journey.

Moving through the ARCS coursework is different for everyone. And that’s okay. This is personal.

ARCS gave me the push I needed to attend my first ACoA meeting. They handed me the roadmap for inner child work that I had been searching for.

Something inside me shifted immediately, and that was just the beginning.

For nine months, I worked on seeing myself beyond my struggles. One day, while reading a passage on “Self-Love,” I had a moment.

"Hey… that’s me!"

For the first time, I recognized myself in those words. I smiled. I felt light. A part of my true self had been uncovered.

I can’t put into words what that feels like. It’s something you need to experience for yourself. And I mean NEED.

Before ARCS, I never realized how low my self-esteem truly was. I never understood how my behaviors were projections of self-hate. I never grasped how deeply my childhood trauma had imprinted itself onto every fiber of my being.

These are not easy truths. But if you can’t see them, you can’t change them. And if you can’t change them, you can’t heal.

Healing takes time.

It takes commitment. It requires real soul-searching. 

And if you’re sitting there wondering whether you’re worth it, let me tell you right now: YOU ARE.

You have what it takes. You will not regret this journey. This is an opportunity the Universe does not want you to miss.

I am learning to shine a light on my shadows. I am learning to shed perfectionism and self-judgment. And, more importantly, I am understanding where those patterns came from, so that I can truly release them.

I am also learning about the parts of me that shine. For the first time, I can see my own goodness, and I believe in it. I am learning that I am worthy, and that it's okay to love myself.

I'm learning that this healing journey is limitless.

Every day, I uncover a little more of my true self—the one I have only glimpsed since I was a child. Rediscovering her is imperative, if I am to live my life as the gift it was meant to be.

As my time as an ARCS student nears its end, I finally understand what my ARCS Coach always says: "My journey is only beginning."

Those words thrill me. They make me nervous—but excited. I can hardly wait!

Thanks to ARCS, I now have the tools to do more than just survive—I am ready to thrive. 

And for the first time in my life, I am running full speed into my future. Something I never thought possible. Something I never even dared to dream.