Why is Recovery So HARD??

So I was thinking tonight after talking with a friend. Why is recovery so hard? Especially with eating disorders and cutting we have tendencies to want to be perfect. So naturally when we decide to recover we also decide to be perfect from that point on no matter how realistic that goal is. Then from the first time we "fail" at the recovery thing we feel really guilty, of course we don't tell anyone because we're supposed to be better. The next day we still feel guilty for what we've done and the negative thoughts kick back in and we do that very same thing again.

So how in the world do we actually get through these things and succeed at recovery?

Admit that recovery is hard and that's okay because it's worth it. Convince yourself that recovery does not equal perfect. When you decide to give everything you have to getting over these struggles you need to fight no matter what. If you fall you need to let go of what happened wake up the next day and start over. Recovery will not work if you let your set-backs determine how you go about the next day and the next after that.

Believe that set-backs are inevitable; it's what you do with them that counts. Believe that some day it won't be as difficult as it is now...take one day at a time. "If I just get through today" mentality.

Don't live in secrets...if you stumble one day tell the people that are helping you through this. They much rather you tell them and know better what you're going through and how to help than to have you keep it from them then find out down the line that you've been doing these things everyday for a month. Which do you think would hurt more? Telling them right then or them finding out it's been going on all along.

I know that if you've decided on this recovery path and you have people and things to support you in this path then you will be able to succeed. You will one day look back and say...that was me but this is who I am now and I am recovered. Don't give up because of hard days...use those to encourage you to fight even harder. You are all so beautiful and deserve so much to be free from all these things. My heart goes out to you.

Challenge of the Week: Are you on the road to recovery? Are you sick of being on that road? Well if that is you I simply challenge you to stay on that road. To keep being true to yourself and to look at how far you've come since the first day you decided you needed to recover. Where were you a week ago? A month ago? Keep looking ahead, keep moving forward and don't be afraid to let people help you along the way.

If you haven't decided that you are set on recovery I challenge you to see the eating disorder, the self harm or whatever else you may be struggling with in the light of what it truly is. See it for the hurt that it causes, they isolation you feel, the destruction of it and play with the idea that there might be a better more fulfilling way.A way called recovery.