As NEDAW trickles into its last couple of days, I think it’s a good idea to continue the conversation of recovery, and how it’s within reach. After making the decision to go into treatment and/or therapy, it’s easy to feel a little lost, like how are you supposed to move forward? Where are you going, and how will you get there?

Deep breaths, baby! You aren’t alone, and you certainly aren’t lost, no matter how unfamiliar the landscape of recovery may seem to you. There is an infinite strength inside of you that you need to tap into as you start pushing forward.

Check out this list that the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Other Associated Disorders (ANAD) had outlined. I think it’s one of the more realistic and holistic lists I’ve seen in terms of a recovery plan, and I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me!

Have you begun this journey yet? Which of these steps have been easy for you, and which have proved more challenging? If you are in recovery, what are some things that you’ve found helpful that you’d be willing to share?

Tap into your inner strength so that you can take an honest look at yourself and your disorder. Recognize the parts of you that are truly you and not ED, and take them by the hands, pull them out of the shadows and into the sunshine. Reclaim your life! I don’t mean to sound preachy but I cannot stress enough how wonderful it feels to finally be able to separate yourself from your eating disorder, and to realize how much you bring to this world.. <3