We're here to support you through this uncertain time, and want to help you continue taking care of yourself every single day, even when the eating disorder voice feels louder than ever.

Although it’s true that recovery is hardly ever linear (meaning we don’t experience feeling better in a perfectly straight line, and that setbacks are expected), it’s important to have support and structure in place in order to set you up for eventual long-term success.

Consider adding some of the activities below into your daily routine to help you maintain a sense of structure and to practice self-care when you feel tempted to engage in unhealthy behaviors: 

 

3 things you can do when your eating disorder voice gets loud: 

1. Distract yourself with games and activities

These mindless activities will help take your focus away from food and body, and instead, on things that will relax and serve you better:

• • Puzzles (e.g. fill-ins, crosswords, sudoku, word scrambles)
  • Adult coloring books and other mindless art projects
  • Read or start a reading challenge. An app called “Goodreads” allows you to track books, review them, and set challenges, while one called “Libby” app allows you to link your library card to get books on a free 14-day loan. Both apps available through Apple and Google Play stores!
  • Art projects with yourself or the kids  (e.g. DIY home decor, mixed material self-portraits, collages, wall art, and more)
  • Make playlists with your favorite songs (e.g. on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music)
  • Listen to podcasts or TED talks and keep a notebook of your favorite episodes!

 

2. Dive deeper into your passions and hobbies.

These enriching activities encourage you to delve deeper into some of your passions and hobbies:

• • Complete continuing education or find online workshops/seminars of interest
  • Research a work-related topic you are interested and put together some materials on it
  • Join professional practice groups or supervision groups within your career field to continue learning from your peers 
  • Choose a fascinating topic you love (or your "alternative universe" career you would have had "in another life") and spend time researching that!

 

3. Try a self-reflection activity

These more writing-involved activities are meant to help you work through your thoughts and emotions directly while reflecting on how you feel along the way:

• • Free write in a journal. Natalie Goldberg has a great book on this called Writing Down the Bones).
  • Complete a daily 1-page reflection of the "highs" and "lows" of your day
  • Create a 2-page sheet where you list your negative feeling or thoughts on one side, and then flip it over and list out all the positive counter-thoughts on the other
  • Practice gratitude daily by choosing one person or entity (past or present) and writing a few sentences about how they've helped you
  • Complete a daily prompt from a self-help book such as Beautiful You, Body Kindness, Kristen Neff's Self-Compassion Workbook, or Being in Your Body: A Guided Journal for Self-Love and Body Positivity.

We hope that a few of these activities stood out to you, and can help support you during this time. If you’re feeling stuck or like you need more options, please reach out! There are countless other resources and activities out there meant to help you on your path to recovery, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. 

 

Stay patient, stay safe, and stay well.