Finding Freedom

A late assignment is not the end of your academic career. If something is late, it’s late. Whatever caused it to be late is in the past - go talk to your teacher now, and figure out what to do to fix it. Sometimes, they won’t even take off points if you explain what happened.

A failed class can be retaken. If you fail a class, it sucks. It really does. However, classes can be retaken. That’s the beauty of them. You’ll do a lot better the second time, I promise.

Small animals exist and would love you to pet them. It doesn’t have to be now. It doesn’t have to be soon! But find some type of small animal and pet it. Shelters have lots! Volunteering at a shelter is a good way to rack up both good vibes and release stress.

You’re important to someone. It may not be someone you expect, either. Maybe it’s someone who sees you around and has a crush that they’ll never mention. Maybe it’s a teacher who believes that you can do your best. Maybe it’s a family member or acquaintance who isn’t very good at showing affection. Hell, if no one else, you’re important to me.

No one judges you harder than yourself. You’re going to take all your mistakes harder than anyone else. Think about how you’d feel if your best friend made the mistake you just made - would you mock them or constantly talk about the mistake, or would you be kind and drop the subject? You are your OWN best friend. No one is going to take better care of yourself than you.

1. When you have an eating disorder you just survive. Health brings a wealth of experiences, you get to have a life again.

2. The giggles. When your body is starved it doesn’t expend energy on laughter, when it has energy to play with you get to have fun.

3. Sleep. My eating disorder means I barely slept, I was irritable and tired 24/7.

4. People. When you are healthy you have the energy to be with people and socialise, you can go out with friends and not worry about having to have a coffee or lunch out, you can talk to the hot guy at the check out which you’ve been admiring for the past month.

5. Favourite foods. You can appreciate your favourite food or understand and give in to cravings; your body is smart and only ever asks for the stuff it wants. If it is asking for chocolate, it really does need it- water won’t help.

6. Trust from your body. When you recover your body will trust you again, it will show you that it trusts you enough to have children in the future by giving you your period back, or telling you what it needs.

7. Festivities. You have to face the fact that most holidays and family occasions rotate around food of some sort, and it is no fun if you are avoiding it or consumed by food thoughts. Enjoy your birthday cake, look forward to Christmas dinner and Easter eggs, open your advent calendar as soon as you get up.

ok. just some of the very extensive list of reasons to eat:

to be positive to be around

to fuel your body with nourishing food it deserves

to have energy

to choose food you want

for food to be food and not numbers

for your future kids

for your loved ones

if you feel you don’t have loved ones then there are people in this world that love everybody and those people are worth doing it for, and also for future people that will love you too

for your actual health (yes even though society portrays eating as a big indulgence it isn’t and is needed. food = fuel for the bodies maaaaany amazing things it does)

to walk, run, skip, cycle, swim

to inspire

to have a job

to study and learn

to celebrate Christmas and other occasions (birthday, Easter, bonfire night, Halloween..)

to cuddle your pets

to socialise

to be independent

to experience new things

to make friends

to heal

to concentrate

to get back what shouldn’t have ever been lost

to fight your demons and give the bullies that big fuck you they deserve

to be able to relax

to be content with life

to show recovery is possible

to be strong

to live, not just survive

to go on holiday

to get your period back (sorry if you’re a boy, and yes periods are good for girls because it means you’re functioning and your bones aren’t deteriorating)

another point: your bones and nerves

to fulfil your dreams

to be ok being ok and not *having* to struggle

to drive

to find yourself without your disorder

to prove all those buggers wrong who didn’t believe in you

to feel emotions and not be numb

to not die (harsh but true)

to choose to do things and not have negative thoughts choose for you

to smile a real smile

to laugh

to give the child inside you what they deserve and anticipated

to be able to make plans without them being scuppered

to not go in hospital

to say I BEAT ANOREXIA 

to hug people 

to not hide away

for the sunny days

the rainy days

reading a book curled up in bed

summer BBQs with friends

smelling freshly mown grass

stroking a pet

fitting in nice clothes

feeling worthy

travelling and seeing the world

baking with your kids and not recoiling at the mix on their hands

having a slice of birthday cake

not just cooking for everyone else

to live

laughing till your belly hurts

for yourself

that is only scratching at the surface of all the reasons. there are so many more, and only ours for the taking.

You didn’t work out today? Not a reason to restrict.

You ate too much at your last meal? Not a reason to restrict.

You’re a little bloated? Not a reason to restrict.

You’ve gained weight? Not a reason to restrict.

You restricted yesterday and you’re still alive today? Not a reason to restrict.

You’re going out to dinner tonight? Not a reason to restrict.

You want to lose weight? Not a reason to restrict.

You’ve stuck to your meal plan the past three days? Not a reason to restrict.

You were told something that made you feel badly? Not a reason to restrict.

You feel like you need to prove your illness? Not a reason to restrict.

You’re not “that hungry” for your third meal? Not a reason to restrict.

You are worth recovery. Fight for it.

Recovery is an ongoing process, it won’t happen overnight.

Just because you decide to recover once doesn’t mean that you will. You have to remake that choice again and again, every single day.

Relapses will happen, but that’s okay.

When you do relapse, pick yourself back up, brush yourself off, and try again. Tomorrow is another day.

You are worth more than what you’re going through.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, you don’t have to do this on your own.

Reach out to others.

Don’t ever give up. 

1. A slice of white Wonder bread is going to have the same effect on your body as a slice of Ezekiel 4:9 Flax Sprouted Whole Grain bread (Nutrient differences? Sure. Difference in weight gain/loss? Nope). 

2. Fat-free salad dressing, cheese, ice cream, etc. tastes like shit and you are a fucking liar if you say it tastes better than regular products. Fat does not make you gain weight; a surplus of calories over your body’s expenditure will cause you to gain weight. Plus, fat will allow you to think clearly, talk at the rate of a normal human being, give you beautiful skin/hair/nails, and keep you satiated. Let’s leave the fat-free bullshit diet trend in the 1980s where it belongs.  3. A bowl of fruit or a bowl of veggies is not a meal. 

4. A bowl of fruit or a bowl of veggies with a mini side of rice is not a meal either. 

5. You can eat candy, fruit, chips, muffins, sandwiches, cookies, popcorn, cheese, chocolate, pasta, etc. every single day and still maintain your weight. 

6. Going to a restaurant for a meal/challenging a fear food does not mean that it is okay to compensate later. 

7. If you use PB2, Better ‘n’ Peanut Butter, or Walden Farms Peanut Butter and call yourself recovered, I will judge you forever. 

1. When you have an eating disorder you just survive. Health brings a wealth of experiences, you get to have a life again.

2. The giggles. When your body is starved it doesn’t expend energy on laughter, when it has energy to play with you get to have fun.

3. Sleep. My eating disorder means I barely slept, I was irritable and tired 24/7.

4. People. When you are healthy you have the energy to be with people and socialise, you can go out with friends and not worry about having to have a coffee or lunch out, you can talk to the hot guy at the check out which you’ve been admiring for the past month.

5. Favourite foods. You can appreciate your favourite food or understand and give in to cravings; your body is smart and only ever asks for the stuff it wants. If it is asking for chocolate, it really does need it- water won’t help.

6. Trust from your body. When you recover your body will trust you again, it will show you that it trusts you enough to have children in the future by giving you your period back, or telling you what it needs.

7. Festivities. You have to face the fact that most holidays and family occasions rotate around food of some sort, and it is no fun if you are avoiding it or consumed by food thoughts. Enjoy your birthday cake, look forward to Christmas dinner and Easter eggs, open your advent calendar as soon as you get up.

(via letsrediscoverkitty)

reminder reminder reminder - so important