For many you used food at an early age to self soothe, to escape, and perhaps survive difficult feelings or circumstances. Food was there. Food was a friend. Food was a parent. Food was quick and easy. Food was an escape. You did the best that you could. Now as you step back and really look at what was going on back then and how easy it is to slip into that pattern, take a moment to express gratitude for the bingeing part of you.
Thank you for being there for me when I needed you. Now I no longer need you because I am learning to acknowledge and work through my feelings. How might you express gratitude to the bingeing part of you?
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.- Eleanor Roosevelt
An important component of your healing journey is to learn to be self compassionate. We do not heal through shame, we heal through our compassion with ourselves.
Identify supportive statements that you can say to yourself. Shifting our beliefs means challenging old beliefs. It is sitting with new feelings and new thoughts which translate into a new way of being. Check those positive statements that may apply and add your own
If you stick with it, it does make a difference
As I continue this journey I do feel better
It is temporarily uncomfortable as I begin, but as I continue at this it will get easier
I am worth taking the time for myself
I chose to move my body to help my breathing, help my stress level,
And enhance the quality of my life.
I am not in a competition with anyone else. I will not compare myself to others.
It doesn't have to be all or nothing.
I am approaching this in a new way that encourages me to delve into my underlying feelings and to practice self compassion
This is hard and I have done other things in my life that have been hard
I am learning to heal and this process takes time
I am learning to trust myself with food and to understand what my triggers are
I am learning other things to do to comfort myself instead of turning to food
I am beginning to accept my body
I am doing the best that I can
I am learning about the underlying pieces that maintain my present relationship with food
I recognize that lifestyle changes do take a lot of work initially and I am being patient in the process
By taking care of myself, I am showing to myself and to others that I am important
I am learning to understand that the process of change takes time and with every step I take, I am working towards healing my relationship with food.