A Daily Dose of Sunshine...

POSITIVITY AND INSPIRATION FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE

Posts tagged bulimia

4 notes

“Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers.” Fear is an emotion that all humans are hard-wired to experience.  In the cave-man days, fear saved our ancestors’ lives.  Today, we face different dangers and fears than our ancestors did, but the experience of fear is the same.  It’s uncomfortable and it’s designed to elicit a self-protective response.  Threat. Fear. Response. Bear. Fear. RUN.  Disagree with the crowd.  Fear rejection.  Suppress the authentic self by “agreeing”. The fears that we experience as most threatening vary from person to person.  Some fear rejection more than anything else.  For others, it’s abandonment, loneliness, failure, inadequacy or embarrassment (just to name a few).  What it is that we fear most as individuals does not matter.  What matters is that we understand two things: 1.) No one is fearless.  EVERYONE experiences fear and we need not be ashamed of feeling fearful. 2.) Fear makes bravery possible.  We cannot be brave or courageous if we are not fearful in the first place. In both our personal and professional lives, we are faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis.  The right decision is often obvious, but the pressure to make the wrong decision can be overwhelming.  It’s overwhelming because fear gets in the way.  It could be fear of upsetting someone you care about, fear of losing something or someone, fear of being rejected by peers, etc.  Whatever the fear, it often takes great courage to make the right decision. If you think you’re fearless, you’re wrong.  In a society that values bravery and equates fear with weakness, we often try to “get rid of” our fear as soon as we feel it.This doesn’t mean it isn’t there!  If you judge yourself for experiencing fear and try to convince yourself out of it, you’re doing yourself a disservice.  Instead of suppressing  fearful emotions, acknowledge them and convert them into something productive … like courage! Don’t judge yourself for being fearful.  Fear is a completely natural and unavoidable emotion.  Whether we admit it or not, we all experience fear.  It is what we do with that fear that matters.  Courageousness and bravery are qualities that we value, but in order to be courageous or brave, we have to first recognize our fears, buckle down, and proceed through them.  Not around them.  Not over, or under them.  THROUGH them.  That is what true courage consists of.  If you find yourself derailed by fear, remember: “Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers.”  Try to find comfort in the idea that everyone experiences fear, and we all have the power to convert this fear into courage by adding a bit of hope and faith in ourselves or others into the equation. You can be brave, you can be courageous, and you can be strong.

“Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers.”

Fear is an emotion that all humans are hard-wired to experience.  In the cave-man days, fear saved our ancestors’ lives.  Today, we face different dangers and fears than our ancestors did, but the experience of fear is the same.  It’s uncomfortable and it’s designed to elicit a self-protective response. 

Threat. Fear. Response.

Bear. Fear. RUN. 

Disagree with the crowd.  Fear rejection.  Suppress the authentic self by “agreeing”.

The fears that we experience as most threatening vary from person to person.  Some fear rejection more than anything else.  For others, it’s abandonment, loneliness, failure, inadequacy or embarrassment (just to name a few).  What it is that we fear most as individuals does not matter.  What matters is that we understand two things: 1.) No one is fearless.  EVERYONE experiences fear and we need not be ashamed of feeling fearful. 2.) Fear makes bravery possible.  We cannot be brave or courageous if we are not fearful in the first place.

In both our personal and professional lives, we are faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis.  The right decision is often obvious, but the pressure to make the wrong decision can be overwhelming.  It’s overwhelming because fear gets in the way.  It could be fear of upsetting someone you care about, fear of losing something or someone, fear of being rejected by peers, etc.  Whatever the fear, it often takes great courage to make the right decision.

If you think you’re fearless, you’re wrong.  In a society that values bravery and equates fear with weakness, we often try to “get rid of” our fear as soon as we feel it.This doesn’t mean it isn’t there!  If you judge yourself for experiencing fear and try to convince yourself out of it, you’re doing yourself a disservice.  Instead of suppressing  fearful emotions, acknowledge them and convert them into something productive … like courage!

Don’t judge yourself for being fearful.  Fear is a completely natural and unavoidable emotion.  Whether we admit it or not, we all experience fear.  It is what we do with that fear that matters.  Courageousness and bravery are qualities that we value, but in order to be courageous or brave, we have to first recognize our fears, buckle down, and proceed through them.  Not around them.  Not over, or under them.  THROUGH them.  That is what true courage consists of. 

If you find yourself derailed by fear, remember: “Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers.”  Try to find comfort in the idea that everyone experiences fear, and we all have the power to convert this fear into courage by adding a bit of hope and faith in ourselves or others into the equation.

You can be brave, you can be courageous, and you can be strong.

Filed under courage fear quote art recovery ed substance abuse anorexia bulimia self harm self help inspiration love support mental health psychology eating disorder depression anxiety

18,208 notes

Tear’s don’t mean you’re losing. We are taught that crying is a sign of weakness.  Crying in response to real emotions is a sign that we are human. Crying to manipulate a person or situation: Neither cool nor justified. Crying in response to real emotions: Excellent. Crying is simply a sign that we are human beings that have emotions.  We cry when we are happy, sad, frightened, worried, stressed, excited … it is a physical manifestation of emotions; that’s all.  We don’t need to fear it or give it any sort of significance it doesn’t deserve.  It’s OK to cry.  Of course, there are times and places where it is/is or in our best interest to let the tears flow.  There are times and places where it’s appropriate to cry and times and places where we need to hold it together.  When, where, and who it is appropriate to cry with is up to us to decide for ourselves as individuals.  What’s right for one person may not be right for the next. Ruminating or getting stuck in sadness or fear won’t get anyone anywhere, but neither will ignoring such feelings completely.  Many people, including myself, believe that with every experience comes a lesson.  We can only learn from our experiences if we acknowledge and feel ALL of the emotions that are attached to them.  If something frustrates you but you refuse to acknowledge that frustration or try to convince yourself out of it, you cannot recognize that something is happening that you want to change in the first place, let alone make a change that will help you feel better!  This principle applies to many emotions.  If we’re sad but we don’t acknowledge that sadness, we cannot adequately identify what it is about our current circumstances that is causing us to feel sad and therefore cannot do anything about it!  Repressing feelings or convincing ourselves we do not feel a certain way does not serve us! Today, crying takes courage.  The ability to cry requires us to be vulnerable and vulnerability can be a scary thing in an individualistic society that values strength as much as ours does.  Crying also requires us to be in touch with our true feelings, which can be a frightening experience as well.  For example, if you grew up learning that not only is crying a sign of weakness, but sadness and fear are as well, you probably learned to repress those feelings almost automatically when you have them.  To acknowledge and own them as your true feelings at any given time is hard! Bottom line: Tear’s don’t mean you’re losing. In fact, tears often mean you are winning.

Tear’s don’t mean you’re losing.

We are taught that crying is a sign of weakness.  Crying in response to real emotions is a sign that we are human.

Crying to manipulate a person or situation: Neither cool nor justified.

Crying in response to real emotions: Excellent.

Crying is simply a sign that we are human beings that have emotions.  We cry when we are happy, sad, frightened, worried, stressed, excited … it is a physical manifestation of emotions; that’s all.  We don’t need to fear it or give it any sort of significance it doesn’t deserve.  It’s OK to cry.  Of course, there are times and places where it is/is or in our best interest to let the tears flow.  There are times and places where it’s appropriate to cry and times and places where we need to hold it together.  When, where, and who it is appropriate to cry with is up to us to decide for ourselves as individuals.  What’s right for one person may not be right for the next.

Ruminating or getting stuck in sadness or fear won’t get anyone anywhere, but neither will ignoring such feelings completely.  Many people, including myself, believe that with every experience comes a lesson.  We can only learn from our experiences if we acknowledge and feel ALL of the emotions that are attached to them.  If something frustrates you but you refuse to acknowledge that frustration or try to convince yourself out of it, you cannot recognize that something is happening that you want to change in the first place, let alone make a change that will help you feel better!  This principle applies to many emotions.  If we’re sad but we don’t acknowledge that sadness, we cannot adequately identify what it is about our current circumstances that is causing us to feel sad and therefore cannot do anything about it!  Repressing feelings or convincing ourselves we do not feel a certain way does not serve us!

Today, crying takes courage.  The ability to cry requires us to be vulnerable and vulnerability can be a scary thing in an individualistic society that values strength as much as ours does.  Crying also requires us to be in touch with our true feelings, which can be a frightening experience as well.  For example, if you grew up learning that not only is crying a sign of weakness, but sadness and fear are as well, you probably learned to repress those feelings almost automatically when you have them.  To acknowledge and own them as your true feelings at any given time is hard!

Bottom line: Tear’s don’t mean you’re losing.

In fact, tears often mean you are winning.

(via insight-inspiration)

Filed under art cry emotions inspiration mental health positive psychology ptsd quote recovery self help substance abuse tears ed eating disorder bulimia anorexia

7,577 notes

Be patient with yourself.  It’s NOT going to happen overnight.  We all want it to, but it’s simply not,  New habits are formed slowly (grr), over time.  Start right now.  Start with tonight. You can do it.  Make the commitment.  If you need to make it to someone else do it.  If you don’t have anyone else, make your commitment to me.  Recovery is possible, one good habit at a time. <3

Be patient with yourself.  It’s NOT going to happen overnight.  We all want it to, but it’s simply not,  New habits are formed slowly (grr), over time.  Start right now.  Start with tonight. You can do it.  Make the commitment.  If you need to make it to someone else do it.  If you don’t have anyone else, make your commitment to me.  Recovery is possible, one good habit at a time.

<3

(Source: healthemily, via atasteofvanilla)

Filed under RECOVERY SUBSTANCE ABUSE EATING DISORDER MENTAL ILLNESS ANOREXIA BULIMIA DEPRESSION ANXIETY POSITIVITY INSPIRATION SELF HELP

21 notes

Facts: Everyone’s life path is unique. Everyone’s journey is different. We can spend our time trying to control that which is out of our control.  We can expend energy being upset about things that happened in the past or things that are happening in the present.  We can let our inner critic take over.  We can be self-critical.  We can compare ourselves to others or be critical of them. OR We can embrace the journey we have embarked upon.  Everyone’s path is different.  Embrace your unique journey.  It’s all yours and everything that’s happening around you is happening for a reason.  When we stop trying to fight reality, we open up space for good things to come to us. When we stop spending time being upset about the past or fearing the future, we free up space to develop awareness.  When we stop trying to fight our feelings and control the uncontrollable, we free up energy that can be used for acceptance, love, and peace … inside and out. Believe in yourself and embrace the journey.  You’re in the ocean … might as well ride those waves!

Facts: Everyone’s life path is unique. Everyone’s journey is different.

We can spend our time trying to control that which is out of our control.  We can expend energy being upset about things that happened in the past or things that are happening in the present.  We can let our inner critic take over.  We can be self-critical.  We can compare ourselves to others or be critical of them.

OR

We can embrace the journey we have embarked upon.  Everyone’s path is different.  Embrace your unique journey.  It’s all yours and everything that’s happening around you is happening for a reason.  When we stop trying to fight reality, we open up space for good things to come to us. When we stop spending time being upset about the past or fearing the future, we free up space to develop awareness.  When we stop trying to fight our feelings and control the uncontrollable, we free up energy that can be used for acceptance, love, and peace … inside and out.

Believe in yourself and embrace the journey.  You’re in the ocean … might as well ride those waves!

Filed under love art embrace psychology positive positivity support inspiration recovery anorexia bulimia substance abuse ed eating disorder mental illness mental health depression anxiety picture

19 notes

Strength comes in many forms. Strength is endurance.  Endurance is losing the little battles to win the big one in the end.  If you want to move a boat at the edge of a dock, would you run into it with a big smash?  Probably not.  I hope not.  You&#8217;ll end up hurting yourself!  Instead, you&#8217;d probably stand at the edge of the dock and lean into the boat with force, but with grace.  STRENGTH KEEPS LEANING. MOST of the time, it doesn&#8217;t do us any good to charge at the boat full force.  We&#8217;ll end up falling, which isn&#8217;t always a bad thing but there are times when we are better off putting forth steady force and steady efforts to reach our goals.  If you slip, that&#8217;s OK.  In fact, I hate to break it to you but IT&#8217;S GOING TO HAPPEN.  That&#8217;s OK, as long as you get back up.  Think about some of your strengths.  Don&#8217;t try to say you have none.  Nice try, but I&#8217;m not buying it ;) Then, think about some of the good things you use those strengths for.  Earning a living?  Doing well in school?  Making people smile? Tell yourself: I am strong. It&#8217;s good for me to be strong.  My strength helps good things happen.  Good people want me to be strong.  Anyone who wants you to be weak goes into the fondly named category I like to call &#8220;haters&#8221; and unfortunately there is no space for haters in our lives. To increase your sense of strength, recall times when you&#8217;ve felt strong.  Close your eyes and remember what your body felt like.  What your mind felt like.  What your spirit felt like.  Most importantly; notice how good it feels to be strong.  Appreciate the many ways in which your strength has and continues to empower you to do great things, both for yourself and for others.  Tell yourself that you are strong.  Tell yourself you can endure, persist, cope and prevail.  You are strong enough to hold your entire experience of the world, both positive and negative in awareness without being overwhelmed. Say it:  I am strong enough to hold my entire experience in awareness with out being overwhelmed.  The winds of life can blow hard, but I am a deeply rooted tree.  Winds only make me stronger. You are strong.  You are brave.  You are powerful.  Now go put that strength, bravery and power to good use!

Strength comes in many forms. Strength is endurance.  Endurance is losing the little battles to win the big one in the end. 

If you want to move a boat at the edge of a dock, would you run into it with a big smash?  Probably not.  I hope not.  You’ll end up hurting yourself!  Instead, you’d probably stand at the edge of the dock and lean into the boat with force, but with grace.  STRENGTH KEEPS LEANING.

MOST of the time, it doesn’t do us any good to charge at the boat full force.  We’ll end up falling, which isn’t always a bad thing but there are times when we are better off putting forth steady force and steady efforts to reach our goals.  If you slip, that’s OK.  In fact, I hate to break it to you but IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN.  That’s OK, as long as you get back up. 

Think about some of your strengths.  Don’t try to say you have none.  Nice try, but I’m not buying it ;) Then, think about some of the good things you use those strengths for.  Earning a living?  Doing well in school?  Making people smile?

Tell yourself: I am strong. It’s good for me to be strong.  My strength helps good things happen.  Good people want me to be strong.  Anyone who wants you to be weak goes into the fondly named category I like to call “haters” and unfortunately there is no space for haters in our lives.

To increase your sense of strength, recall times when you’ve felt strong.  Close your eyes and remember what your body felt like.  What your mind felt like.  What your spirit felt like.  Most importantly; notice how good it feels to be strong.  Appreciate the many ways in which your strength has and continues to empower you to do great things, both for yourself and for others. 

Tell yourself that you are strong.  Tell yourself you can endure, persist, cope and prevail.  You are strong enough to hold your entire experience of the world, both positive and negative in awareness without being overwhelmed. Say it:  I am strong enough to hold my entire experience in awareness with out being overwhelmed.  The winds of life can blow hard, but I am a deeply rooted tree.  Winds only make me stronger.

You are strong.  You are brave.  You are powerful.  Now go put that strength, bravery and power to good use!

(Source: live-a-life-of-liberty)

Filed under strong strength quote brave power powerful recovery ed anorexia bulimia self-harm empower advice help support substance abuse ptsd abuse

9,234 notes

Tomorrow is a new day filled with new thoughts, new feelings and new experiences.  Embrace it.  Make it yours! Let today go.  It&#8217;s over.  Close your eyes. Get some sleep. It&#8217;s too late now to change anything that happened today.  BUT, you do have the power to create your own tomorrow!  So, rest now.  Everything will be alright.  Tomorrow&#8217;s a new day.  A fresh start!

Tomorrow is a new day filled with new thoughts, new feelings and new experiences.  Embrace it.  Make it yours!

Let today go.  It’s over.  Close your eyes. Get some sleep. It’s too late now to change anything that happened today.  BUT, you do have the power to create your own tomorrow!  So, rest now.  Everything will be alright.  Tomorrow’s a new day.  A fresh start!

(Source: melanie-is-healthy, via couragehopestrength)

Filed under tomorrow recovery struggle anxiety depression ed eating disroder anorexia bulimia self harm substance abuse positivity inspiration support

277 notes

Thank you all for existing.  If it were not for you, I would not be where I am today.  Without each other, none of us would.   Although we live in a very individualistic society, we are all interdependent on one another.  Each and every one of us.  We feed off of each others energy.  For this reason, surround yourself with people who&#8217;s energy you are drawn to.  It makes a big difference.  I appreciate you.  I love and accept you for who you are.  Appreciate yourself.  Love and accept yourself for who you are. Thank you all for existing.  You are wonderful.

Thank you all for existing.  If it were not for you, I would not be where I am today.  Without each other, none of us would.   Although we live in a very individualistic society, we are all interdependent on one another.  Each and every one of us.  We feed off of each others energy.  For this reason, surround yourself with people who’s energy you are drawn to.  It makes a big difference. 

I appreciate you.  I love and accept you for who you are.  Appreciate yourself.  Love and accept yourself for who you are.

Thank you all for existing.  You are wonderful.

(via que-ser-a-ser-a)

Filed under inspiration support together recovery self help self esteem self love self care thank you self harm ed anorexia bulimia substance abuse ptsd

26 notes

You are a precious child of the universe. I am a precious child of the universe. Despite what you feel right now, how you&#8217;ve felt in the past, what you have been told or what has happened to your body, mind, or spirit&#8230; You deserve to be loved and cherished.  You are loved and cherished. I deserve to be loved and cherished and I am loved and cherished. I love and appreciate others, and I deserve to be loved and appreciated as well. I love and appreciate others, and I deserve to be loved and appreciated as well. You are a precious, good-willed, kindhearted and beloved child of this universe. I am a precious, good-willed, kindhearted, loved child of this universe. Despite ______________ (why your mind tells you you are unlovable), today I love and accept myself, just as the universe loves and accepts me each and every day.  Today, I choose to move through the world with love in my body, mind, and spirit.  I will give that love to others.  Most importantly, I will open my heart and mind to accepting that love from the people, places, and things around me.  That love is there and regardless of where I am on my path today, I am willing to be open to accepting all of the goodness and love that surrounds me. When you are repeating the phrases beginning with &#8220;I&#8221; try closing your eyes.  Really feel the universe surrounding you, supporting you, and filling your entire body with the love and respect you deserve.  This practice comes easier to some than others.  Sometimes it can take many attempts to really feel the universe&#8217;s love surrounding you.  Stick with it.  It&#8217;s a guaranteed mood and self-esteem boost once you get it.  If you are having trouble.  Feel free to send me a message and we can chat.  I&#8217;d love to hear from you.  Seriously :)

You are a precious child of the universe.

I am a precious child of the universe.

Despite what you feel right now, how you’ve felt in the past, what you have been told or what has happened to your body, mind, or spirit… You deserve to be loved and cherished.  You are loved and cherished.

I deserve to be loved and cherished and I am loved and cherished.

I love and appreciate others, and I deserve to be loved and appreciated as well.

I love and appreciate others, and I deserve to be loved and appreciated as well.

You are a precious, good-willed, kindhearted and beloved child of this universe.

I am a precious, good-willed, kindhearted, loved child of this universe.

Despite ______________ (why your mind tells you you are unlovable), today I love and accept myself, just as the universe loves and accepts me each and every day.  Today, I choose to move through the world with love in my body, mind, and spirit.  I will give that love to others.  Most importantly, I will open my heart and mind to accepting that love from the people, places, and things around me.  That love is there and regardless of where I am on my path today, I am willing to be open to accepting all of the goodness and love that surrounds me.

When you are repeating the phrases beginning with “I” try closing your eyes.  Really feel the universe surrounding you, supporting you, and filling your entire body with the love and respect you deserve.  This practice comes easier to some than others.  Sometimes it can take many attempts to really feel the universe’s love surrounding you.  Stick with it.  It’s a guaranteed mood and self-esteem boost once you get it.  If you are having trouble.  Feel free to send me a message and we can chat.  I’d love to hear from you.  Seriously :)

Filed under love cherish self esteem self help self-love self harm recovery ed eating disorder anorexia bulimia substance abuse ptsd support inspiration spirituality