Learning to Love your Body: A work in progress

Poor self-esteem, negative body image, self-hatred....Unfortunately, these are phrases commonly connected with eating disorders.  Learning how to love yourself and appreciate your body beyond your appearance may be one of the most difficult aspects of recovery from an eating disorder.  The hazy spectacles worn when struggling with an eating disorder can give a distorted perception of reality.  The beauty of recovery is seen in healing from within.  When this process begins to occur, many individuals begin to see themselves clearly for the first time, in a light that extinguishes the dark shadows of despair and helplessness.

An important part of building a positive body image is surrounding yourself with support and people who love and care about you.  Another crucial aspect is learning to radiate optimism through your words and actions.  It is easy to fall victim to a negative attitude or be bogged down with unnecessary baggage created from pessimism.  This can easily lead to self-destructive behaviors and beliefs.  There are many ways you can celebrate the wonder of you.  Even if you cannot believe that you are beautiful or worthy, you can take small steps towards a better body image, self-appreciate, and self-care.  Your body is beautifully and wonderfully make, unique and amazing in every way.

For more encouragement, read the Top 10 Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery.