I think 2017 is looking up. And I say that guardedly, knowing full well that I can always slip backwards.
When our family therapist told us that family relationships were wholly repairable, I was dubious. At the time, it felt like we would never fully escape the chaos, fear, and unhappiness that an eating disorder had brought to our family. We didn’t know how to communicate, to adjust, to support, and to manage in this new situation. But the biggest gift of the holiday season was the joy of seeing rekindled love in my children’s relationships with one another and seeing how we are all learning how better to be happy together.
We know how tough it can be to create recovery goals that empower and challenge, not overwhelm or disempower. We asked our followers on Facebook and Instagram to share their goals and words of inspiration for 2017. Check our 17 of our favorite responses below!
1. “To be honest about my recovery with myself and others.”
2. “To work to create a life outside of treatment that is worth living and motivates me toward recovery.”
3. “To be patient with my recovery. To recognize that baby steps forward are still steps in the right direction.”
Five years ago, my body image was terrible. I was in the midst of completing my undergraduate degree, living in Canada and eating out or ordering in a LOT. I wasn’t doing any self-care; I didn’t even know what self-care was back then.
My life was so full of drama and I was going through a pretty significant depression. I lacked the energy to cook, so I ate out three to four times a week. School ended, seasons changed and I was doing a little better emotionally, and by summer of 2011, I launched into full diet mode. I was obsessively counting points and calories.
Creating New Year’s resolutions can be particularly challenging for many of those in eating disorder recovery. Nine of our writers courageously shared their resolutions and words of inspiration for 2017. Check them out below!
It’s always been extremely easy for me to care for others while often forgetting to care for myself. With the holiday season upon us, it’s a busy time for many people, which often leads to feeling burnt out. Taking time out for yourself is a necessity—it isn’t selfish or something that you can continue to put off. Self-care is essential in rejuvenating yourself and beneficial to your physical and mental health.
Below are some self-care tips that I have found useful, and I hope they can help others as well:
Editor’s note: BINGE may be triggering to some readers in recovery. With that in mind, we’ve excluded links to the series within this piece.
The holidays are a difficult time for many of those who struggle with eating disorders. Six of our writers courageously shared their messages to their past selves. Check them out below.
Yes, It Will Get Better
Hey, Kaitlin,
Believe it or not, things will get better. There will come a time when the holidays aren’t full of worries about food and calories and working out. You can skip a workout, and the world won’t end. Holiday cookies aren’t going to kill you.
“Monthly Matters with Melody” is a monthly advice column by Dr. Melody Moore, a clinical psychologist, yoga instructor and the founder of the Embody Love Movement Foundation. Her foundation is a non-profit whose mission is to empower girls and women to celebrate their inner beauty, commit to kindness and contribute to meaningful change in the world. Dr. Moore is a social entrepreneur who trains facilitators on how to teach programs to prevent negative body image and remind girls and women of their inherent worth.
The holidays are stressful for everyone and there tend to be a myriad of events to attend with friends and family. The emphasis on food, especially in very social settings, plus the stress of seeing family and friends you haven’t seen in a while makes for a difficult holiday season. No one wants to say outright that they need help to manage their anxiety and stress, especially during a season that is supposed to be about celebration, joy, and gratitude.