By Jessica Flaherty, RD & Libby Parker, MS, RD
Jessica is one of the dietitians here at Not Your Average Nutritionist. She helps people heal their relationship with food so that they can live their life to the fullest.
What motivates you? Who holds you accountable for your goals?
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by your struggles, but remembering that you can have a toolbox full of resources, can help you on those extra difficult days.
What is Your “Why”?
Start out by thinking about why you want to reach your goals; why you want to recover from your ED. Not just because you know you “should” or because someone told you that you need to. Dig deep and think about why you truly want to recover or continue in recovery. Maybe even jot it down on a piece of paper or your journal and keep it in a safe place.
Do you want to continue on the path you’re on? If you stayed on this path, what would your life look like in 6 months, or 5 years from now?
On the other hand, if you made the difficult, but healthy changes toward recovery, what could your life look like in 6 months or 5 years from now? What do these changes allow you to do that you cannot do if you continue living with ED in control? How do your relationships look different?
There is a lot of power in realizing and utilizing your “why.” This is what you cling to on the days that the motivation just isn’t there. We’re human, and we aren’t going to wake up amped every single day to accomplish our goals. Some days we have to lean into our “why”.
Support systems
Having social support is a very important aspect of recovery. Whether it’s family and close friends, and/or a support group of people who “get” it, having someone in your corner makes the recovery choices easier.
Other coping tools
Having other things to focus on is another key tool to have in recovery. Ideally something you can get passionate about, like a creative project. But sometimes even something like watching tv instead of engaging in harmful behaviors is the best choice you can make. Don’t feel guilty about this, celebrate not letting ED win!
Motivation and Recovery
Recovery is hard, I won’t try to hide or sugar-coat it. But recovery is possible. You will not feel motivated every single day to continue on the path of recovery. Your ED voice might be louder some days than others but I am here to encourage you that you are stronger than that voice and that you deserve to live a life in recovery. If you are reading this right now and need a sign to keep going, to keep fighting, this is it.
You Can Do It!
Oftentimes, the hardest part is believing in yourself. Even if you don’t feel 100% ready to tackle your goals this week, start where you are with what you have. Believing in yourself is the first step, and it’s a big step. But once you start telling yourself that and really believing it-you might be surprised at what a positive effect it has on your progress.
You don’t have to do this alone, find a therapist and dietitian you trust to work on your goals with you. If you want to see if one of our NYAN dietitians is a good fit for you, reach out to us. We would love to work with you!
