Day #6: Doctor Doctor!

 

A personal ad -

Woman seeking doctor

With some compassion and a heart…

Woman seeking doctor

Who’ll see her face, not just a chart…

Woman seeking doctor

Who’ll show respect and empathy…

Woman seeking doctor

Who understands equality.

So – you ask – who am I?

A woman with a voice,

Who advocates for those

Who don’t know every choice.

I used to be a patient,

A client on the phone

Or standing there in person

Feeling so alone.

So – you ask – who am I,

Who seeks a doctor now?

A sufferer turned recovered,

With sweat upon her brow.

I morphed into a blogger

Who helps make words from tears,

I changed into a leader

Who tries to lessen fears.

Woman seeking doctor

Who wants to end the stigma…

Woman seeking doctor

Who wants to solve enigma…

Woman seeking doctor

Who sees mental health as vital…

Woman seeking doctor

Who wants more than just the title.

So – you ask – who am I

Who seeks a doctor now?

Recovered woman leader,

Who took on a new vow:

We need more good among us

And so I heed the call –

I went back to school to be

A mental health professional.

© Arielle Lee Bair

To all the great doctors and mental health professionals out there! And a call to arms for all those who could use a little reminder.

Day #5: Body Appreciation Day!

Every day is Body Appreciation Day. At least, it should be. It is in my world. So, today, let me shine a little of my world into yours.

Listen to the Recovery Cat. :-) Soon to be available in Arielle's Print Shop.

Day #4: Eating Disorder and Recovery Slogans...

#1: Eating disorders hurt. They kill. They are sneaky and secretive and lame. They do not discriminate. Anyone can be a prisoner. The slogan for eating disorders is:

I'll pull you close so you can hear
My evil whisper in your ear.

#2: Recovery is real. It's possible. It's life being lived. It's SO MUCH BETTER than life with an eating disorder. It's about the simple things, the positives, the healthy. The slogan for recovery is:

You can be free.
You hold the key.
YOU can be free.
YOU hold the key.


Recovery's slogan beats eating disorder's slogan every time. It's important to note: The first slogan is about IT. The second slogan is about YOU. I'd much rather chant

YOU CAN BE FREE. YOU HOLD THE KEY.

than

I'll pull you close so you can hear
My evil whisper in your ear.

Wouldn't you?

Chant on, friends.

Day #3: Create a Mascot...

Oh my, it's just simply so serendipitous that this prompt should pop up in the Blogger Challenge. I'm cackling to myself and beyond delighted to share with you something that came about randomly just a few days ago: Arielle's Recovery Cats.

Many of you follow me on Twitter @arielleleebair and while the account is primarily for eating disorder recovery oriented tweets, I do often tweet about my life. And when I say "life," I sometimes mean "cats."

So, I tweeted a few days back that the 2 things I tweet about the most are eating disorders and cats. I mused via Twitter how cool it would be if the two could be combined somehow. And just like that, Arielle's Recovery Cats was born.

I decided on a whim that I would post a new "Recovery Cat" each day on Twitter. A Recovery Cat is a cat (created by me) accompanied by a positive saying that's related to e/d recovery. It's like positive affirmations + a cat. I like to keep things light-hearted, simple, and of course positive.

Here are the first few Recovery Cats. I'm in the process of creating a Print Shop (which will have its own separate tab on my site) so a variety of Recovery Cats can be purchased in print, magnet, and postcard form. And maybe a few other tidbits too. So stay tuned.

 

But regardless of whether or not a Print Shop exists, you can definitely say that Arielle's Recovery Cats are the new official mascot of Actively Arielle: A Voice with a Commitment. These cats want to push your eating disorder away so they can cuddle you. :-)

So watch out, people! Arielle's Recovery Cats are coming for you! And they take eating disorder recovery very seriously!

What do YOU think about Arielle's Recovery Cats?

Day #2: Top 10 Reasons to Fight for Recovery/Stay Recovered...

There are a number of times I've been asked, what are your top reasons in favor of recovery? Or is it worth it? Or more often, how do you know you're recovered? 

And this is the answer I always give:

- Because my life doesn't revolve around food, exercise, feelings of hunger, my own image in the mirror, the way my clothes fit, what people say to me regarding appearance or success/failure.

-Because I actually have a life.

-Because when I wake up in the morning I am content, not filled with despair.

-Because I don't have to work at it. It is now natural.

-Because I can help others without being triggered by them.

-Because I live by what I’m writing here.

-Because I like my body.

-Because I even, most of the time, LOVE my body.

-Because I am at peace with issues of my adolescence.

-Because I can eat without over-thinking.

-Because I don't binge or purge or starve myself.

-Because I don't even WANT to binge, purge, or starve myself.

-Because I don't care what the number on a scale says and it used to incredibly define me.

-Because I am a healthy weight.

-Because I appreciate myself instead of hate myself.

-Because I feel free.

I am here in the moment and not afraid to eat, look, live, love. And you can do it too.

The length of time isn't what's important. It can take 3 years or 30 years. The goal is to get to the point where you can say, “I'm free” and mean it. Don't give yourself a deadline. Don't beat yourself up for slip-ups. Just. keep. trying.

You've heard me say this a million times and I will repeat it until it gets old... and then I'll still keep repeating it:  Being "recovered" isn't about always being happy 100% of the time—it's about knowing what to do when you're not.

No matter how many cons there are to your dilemma, one big pro outweighs them all: you getting better, you feeling better, you learning to live life again.

Put more faith in yourself than in your eating disorder. Don’t underestimate your power to move forward and stay there. It all starts with you.

Overexercise and Complications

Day #1: I Write About Eating Disorders Because...

...because eating disorder recovery, advocacy, and activism is My Life's Work (and I'm not joking when I say that)...because I believe that Hope is where healing begins...because I love to share and teach and HELP.

While I may have a unique understanding as a recovered individual, I can also offer a professional perspective from a social work standpoint as well as that of an ANAD Support Group Leader, ANAD Resource Person, and speaker. I mold all of those together for my work as an Eating Disorder Recovery Blogger...and that work, though unpaid and on the web, is very important to me. Part of my blogging style is to post regular videos on specific eating disorder topics, because I recognize the impact of seeing the face (and hearing the voice) behind the words. I'm passionate and I'm passionate about showing my passion!

 I write about eating disorders because for me, every week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I want to give voice to pain, stigma, problems, hope, solutions, fear, education, encouragement, and celebration. I want to be a voice for those who are not able to use their own. I want to be a voice in order to show others what they can do to use theirs! Being a leader in this area is vital and fills my life with purpose. I write about eating disorders because I care about you, about the ones you love, about the society and the world at large.

I write about eating disorders because THERE IS A NEED.

I don't write for me. I write for YOU.