One of the major tenets in eating disorder recovery is to acknowledge that we have two parts of ourselves- the healthy core self that we are born with and the eating disorder self that has been strengthened over time. In recovery we want to ultimately put the eating disorder out of a job and strengthen our healthy selves.
Early on in my recovery I came up with a healthy self-statement of SHH: I am Strong in my recovery; I am strengthening my Healthy self and I am Hot like fire to burn the lies and criticisms that my eating disorder tells me! It was a godsend in the beginning of recovery to help me drown out the eating disorder and tap into my healthy self.
I suggest you make a list of 5-10 healthy self-statements. Here are a few that I like:
My body does not define my worth.
I want to nourish my body and treat it with compassion.
Eating will give me the energy to spend time with family and friends.
I am stronger than my eating disorder.
I AM ENOUGH!!!!
I am going to ride the wave of this urge and choose recovery.
Today I choose to be self-compassionate.
I will not be a slave to diet-culture.
I am going to take a deep breath and focus on what I am recovering to.
Food is not the enemy. Diet-culture is.
I can do hard things!
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Please fill in the last two lines with a health self-statement that you can use in your eating disorder recovery. Remember full recovery is possible!
Serenity Always,
Meredith
