18 Inspiring NEDAwareness Messages of Hope and Recovery from Our Community
This past National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAwareness) was centered on raising awareness and showing that eating disorders can affect anyone, anywhere. Last week, NEDA asked people to speak out about eating disorders and show that community exists and is a powerful force.
Don’t miss these 18 inspiring quotes from warriors who bravely shared messages of hope and recovery on our social media accounts!
1. “Recovery is also not a smooth, straight road. I have to continuously choose recovery every single day, multiple times a day. It isn’t easy, and some days I fail, I won’t lie. It took so many years to learn it’s okay to take up space, it’s okay to eat a lot of food, and it’s OKAY to slip! It’s a part of the recovery process and you just need to accept it, move forward and find better ways for next time to prevent it.”
2. “To stand up and say ‘no, we won’t fall for it, we will love ourselves despite the world telling us we shouldn’t.’ Because we should. We deserve to love ourselves.”
3. “These days, I sit down to dinner with my husband; I look at him; I look at my plate, and my heart nearly explodes. I really can’t believe I did it. Every damn day recovered is a little celebration.”
4. “The way I see it, though? It’s just one part of me, but it was also instrumental in shaping me into a kinder, more loving, and accepting person.”
5. “Recovering, though, that is a choice. I had to make that choice over and over again, and I still do. Every. Day. It was and is a terrifying choice to make, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t backtrack more than a few times on the way to where I am today. But I’ve made it to recovery, and it’s even better than I imagined it would be.”
6. “We desperately need to change the way we talk about food and body, because health is so much more than the size of your body or the food on your plate.”
7. “Life is too short to spend it at war with yourself.”
8. “Your relationship with gravity is the only thing about you that’s determined by your body’s weight. That’s it. It doesn’t determine your self-worth, or the happiness you bring to other people, or the endless amount of joy that you deserve in your life. Weight is a number and you cannot be defined by it.”
9. “Don’t let food be the boss of you. Not today. Not ever again.”
10. “Despite my struggles, I have found the direction in which I want my life to go; and I fully intend on reaching my goals to be the best version of myself I can possibly be.”
11. “I set aside my pride and I took a step that has forever changed me for the better. I am changed in all aspects of my life and I am forever thankful. I share this, because I would like to be a positive male voice on this disorder and hopefully it can encourage others.”
12. “For a really long time, I thought it was all garbage and I was supposed to live life so miserably. But then I started to look at the world around me. Your life is full of moments, millions of moments, and each one will pass you by so fast you’ll blink and it will be gone. Instead of living life as though you need to get the day over with, or you need to live by x rule today, live life in moments you’ll look back on and smile at.”
13. “Some days are harder than others, some days I want to throw in the towel but then I think about how far I have come. I take this week as a week to reflect and love myself.”
14. “With the help of an amazing family, girlfriend, friends, and team I’ve been able to get healthier and open up about my battle. Eating disorders are a real thing. MALE eating disorders are a real thing. Never be afraid to ask someone for help.”
15. “I have gone from hopeless to hopeful. I am finding the little joys in life I took for granted while I was very active in my eating disorder. There is hope and healing. It’s a hard journey but it’s definitely been worth it.”
16. “Recovering is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do… but it’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I’m so much happier and healthier. You don’t know what joy comes with letting go of ignorant societal beauty standards until you actually LET GO.”
17. “I’ve decided that what I needed at 18 years old was for somebody to lean in and say, I get it, and it gets better. So this is me leaning into my little corner of the world to advocate for mental health, to start a conversation about a critical and often taboo topic, and to serve as a resource and support system to anyone battling with this disease.”
18. “Your body isn’t the enemy, the disorder is.”
NEDA hopes that these quotes inspire you to get real and continue the conversation throughout the year!
