Ami,
One thing I know, ALL children internalize their parents to some extent. Just like the way baby geese latch on to the first living thing they see, it is absolutely normal and natural. The problem in your life is that the thing you were given to latch onto was so horribly defective.
How I dealt with this is, I consciously sat down and made a list of the kind of person *I* wanted to be. No big surprise that that person is just the opposite of what *she* is. Some qualities I included were:
Strength
Compassion
Kindness
Courage
Sexuality
Adventurousness
Fun
Then, whenever A situation came up where I had to make a decision of some kind, I would ask myself, how would a brave/kind/ adventurous/whatever person act in this situation. And then I did it. This is definitely one of those things that falls into the simple-but-not-easy category. It took me years and I am still working on it. But little by little, I have switched my internal setting from what was programmed *for* me by my upbringing, to what * I* want for myself. Now I feel inside that I really am that kind of person I wanted to be, and I feel wrong inside when I act in a way that does not reflect my internal values.
Sometimes I still want to fall back into the old ways. I want to be overly-serious and not let anybody have any fun. I want to be selfish and bitchy and abusive. Sometimes I have to fight myself to regain control, and sometimes I don't win. Then I have to forgive myself and plan how to do better next time.
That's what worked for me. If you think it might work for you, I will be behind you every step of the way. Well, I'm behind you anyway, but you knew what I meant, right?
Hang in there, Ami. It takes a lot of strength and courage to ask the tough questions you have been asking lately, so there, you are already on your way. Keep up the good fight.
Love,
Erin