This is part 2 of my 9-steps to recovery from bulimia. Today, I am featuring steps 4 – 6 and tomorrow I will outline steps 7 – 9. During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW – February 26 – March 4th, 2006), I will be going into more detail on these steps.
As always, your ideas, comments and questions are invited!
The 9 Steps to TRANSCEND Bulimia:
- Tell someone – get help
- Responsibility
- Acceptance
- Nutrition
- Spirit/Soul
- Commitment
- Exercise
- Nurture yourself
- Discover who you really are
- N – Nutrition – Before we got ideas about food being “bad” or “good,” it was the fuel we used to nourish our bodies. Again, use perspective –if you have beliefs about food as bad or food as something that makes you fat, this is the reality you will live in. You have made it true by your belief system, even if it does nothing of the sort. I’d like to invite you to begin thinking of food as fuel – as nourishment.
For now, if you aren’t able to change your perspective, focus on just noticing – just catch yourself as you think about food. What are you thinking? How are your thoughts making you feel? I would recommend getting a nutritionist, Naturopathic doctor (some MDs are also naturopaths), doctor of environmental medicine or other medical professional who is knowledgeable in organic, whole foods and how foods can heal the body after an eating disorder.
- S – Soul/Spirit – Bulimics and often others with eating disorders are people pleasers and perfectionists. We are great at meeting the needs of others and often forget to listen to our own hearts and souls. I left a very safe and successful job to start my own business doing what I love. And it wasn’t until I broke free of living on autopilot that my spirit also broke free. I found true happiness and joy coming from inside of me – for no reason other than I was enjoying my life for the first time. I invite you to spend time identifying what you really love to do. Hobbies, interests and even your career. Once you know what this is, you can begin taking steps to get there. At some point, your health and well-being becomes stronger than your desire to be “safe” or have the approval of others. Let your spirit shine – it is more beautiful than you can imagine!
- C – Commitment - Commit to your recovery. Most people say they will try something. Trying is very different from making a commitment. Trying gives you an out. When you truly commit to your recovery, you take away the exit routes. This doesn’t mean that the only definition of recovery is never relapsing. You may relapse in recovery – it’s normal. The difference is that you stick to your commitment – you get right back up and keep going. I invite you to write a commitment statement for your recovery today. Here is an example:
”I, (your name), commit to my recovery on (day and date). I commit to surrounding myself with supportive people who can help me, to nourish my body and to take responsibility for my health. I commit to accepting myself just as I am and taking every day one step at a time. I commit to my vision of living a joyful life.”
