These Worked For Me

I’d like to wish everyone a “Happy New Year,” but since reading The Happiness Trap, I’m trying hard to take notice of and reduce my own and others’ expectations to be unremittingly happy, and to instead practice acceptance and values-based living. Still, wishing everyone a “Functional New Year” doesn’t sound quite right.

I feel restored from my long holiday and ready to get back to work.

What I’d like to offer here for my first blog post of 2012, are three important insights that helped me recover from anorexia and bulimia. I hope that reading these inspires insights of your own that will set you on the path of recovery:

1. My thoughts about me come from me/my mind. I may have heard them from a different source and internalized them (e.g., “you’re such a difficult child!”), but as an adult, it’s my prerogative and responsibility to tell myself the story about myself that is helpful for me to hear.
2. My true friends like me for who I am, with all my neuroses, quirks, and imperfections, not for my weight, appearance, or my achievements.

1. I like, and I mean really like, rich, dense, creamy, chocolately, carb-y food, so I need to find a way to integrate it into my life guilt-free. For me, this means learning portion control and valuing consistent exercise to keep me strong and fit.

I came to each of these realizations through hard work: opening up in therapy, writing in my journal, listening to my hunger cues and honouring them, and most importantly, making a daily commitment to living, really living, without my eating disorder calling the shots. This also meant allowing myself to look foolish when I tried new things like skiing, dancing, or tennis, and making the effort, Herculean at times, to reach out to others, instead of food, for comfort and support.

We’re off to a good start. Let’s make 2012 a year of growth, change, and optimal functionality.

With Love,

Ellen

Questions? Comments? Email ellen@ drdomm.com