It's that time of year again eating disorder awareness month. I am so excited that I am on track for celebrating 8 years of sobriety from Sugar Addiction, Codependency & Emotional Binge Eating Disorder. If you are just starting this journey hang in there. To help inspire you I wanted to list a couple of suggestions for you to ponder.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t give up. When recovering from an addiction your life can seem frustrating and lonely at times. It isn’t perfect… because no one’s life is perfect. You aren’t perfect… and no one else is perfect either. Remind yourself that bumps in the road are an opportunity to become stronger and more successful in learning the skills needed to cope.
So what does being kind to yourself look like?
Be patient with yourself. Give yourself a break. You will make mistakes. You will say and do things you regret or will be embarrassed about. Forgive yourself. You don’t have to be perfect just stick to your wellness goals and plan.
Have realistic expectations. This moment may not be the high point of your life. Even though it might take a while to get through the cravings and sugar withdrawal, things can and will get better eventually. Don’t compare your life to others. Your life is not, or ever will be perfect. Everyone's journey is different.
Be proud of yourself. Recognize your strengths, accomplishments, and the good choices you have made. Let those successes motivate you to keep moving in the right direction. Join a community of like-minded folks who will celebrate in your success.
Take a break. Do things you enjoy that help you to relax and unwind, especially if you are stressed or feeling down. Hang out with friends, watch a movie, read a book, pray, meditate, or find some coping skills that offer you a needed break or distraction.
Feel your feelings. Recognizing and experiencing both negative and positive feelings is healthy. Understanding that feelings can impact your thoughts and behaviors will guide you to react in more constructive and effective ways. Grab your shadow work journal and begin processing your emotions.
Focus forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, look toward the future. You can’t re-do things that have happened in the past. By setting goals you will set yourself up for success and happiness in the future. Grab a journal here.
Avoid triggers. Whether it is a person, place, or thing, stay away from those things that could trigger you to think, feel, or behave in a negative way.
Recognize when you are in over your head. There may be times when you need someone to be your safety net. Choose a person who you trust to be there for you and who will give you the support you need. Make a safety plan so you know what to do and who to turn to when times get tough. Know who's in your circle. Start building a wellness team today.
Take care of your physical self. Eat the right food at the right time in the right amounts. Get a good night’s sleep; take a nap. Take a shower, put on clean clothes, and do your hair. Get up and move; exercise, take a walk, soak in some sunshine, and breathe in some fresh air.
Believe in yourself. Be confident in your skills and abilities. Try new things. Build yourself up, and really focus on your positive self-talk especially when others aren’t being very kind or if you are being too hard on yourself.
Practicing self-kindness will help you build the confidence to reach out in kindness to others. And how you treat others has a huge impact on how others view and treat you.
Are you on track with your sobriety goals? Share below how you are living your life in recovery.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO DIVE DEEPER INTO SELF-CARE
I Can Help in Developing A Plan For Self Care
Do you want help developing a self care plan that works for your own busy schedule? Do you want accountability in implementing a self care plan? If you or someone you love is struggling to maintain optimal mental and emotional health, consider reaching out to Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. We are a Metro Atlanta, Conyers Georgia area. We are a coaching and counseling practice with empathetic, skilled counselors and recovery coaches who can help you set goals, develop a self care routine, and move forward to build a more fulfilling life. Our team would be happy to work with you either just for a couple of sessions to develop and implement a Self Care plan or longer term to work toward overall better mental health within our membership site or other programs.
About The Author:
Dr. Nikki LeToya White MSEd-TL, Ph.D. RHN is the founder, director, and full-time board-certified trauma-informed nutritionist, folk herbalist, and wellness consultant at Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. She created Spiced Life Conversation, LLC Art Wellness Studio, and Botanica to provide the Metro Atlanta area with counseling and coaching services where clients are carefully matched with the right program for healing abandonment and childhood emotional neglect trauma that cause codependency, emotional eating, financial stress, and imposter syndrome as it relates to the fear of success and being abandon. We help you begin your emotional healing journey with ease. Recently, we have expanded to include an online membership site so we now provide support to people living all over the world. All of our recovery coaches provide at least one evidence-based treatment to assist in your recovery. Dr. White is a big proponent of self-care and helping people live fulfilling life! She has been in full remission with both codependency and emotional binge eating disorder since 2016. In living a life in recovery from sugar addiction. Loving her low-sugar balanced lifestyle.
Best Regard
Dr. Nikki LeToya White