New Years Resolutions

I know I'm a bit late (nearly 2 weeks late), but I thought it could be interesting for all of us to share our New Years resolutions.  So in the comments box below please share to our mind, body and spiritually healthy community your New Years resolutions.

Mine are as follows:

1. To enjoy healthy, nutritious, healing foods and to have good/healthy eating habits

I want to eat lots of nourishing foods, that will heal my mind and body and give me the best opportunity to function physically and mentally. I also want to create good eating habits.  This means I want to eat regularly and snack (which will boost my metabolism).  I also don't want to be 'scared' of any foods, but understand that any food is fine fore you in moderation.  

2. To respect myself and believe in my abilities

Enough with the self hate and self doubt.  Instead I want to acknowledge my good qualities and be proud of who I am and everything I have to offer.  I want to truly believe that I am enough, just as I am.

3. To have good relationships with my friends and family

 My friends and family are everything to me, so I want to truly worship those friendships and take time to really nurture those relationships.  That might be, having meals with friends, talking more to friends and family and just overall spending more time with those special people.  

4. To have a holiday

I have not a proper holiday in AGES!!!!! Mainly because I have been so scared of the lack of control I would have over my food and exercise. As a result of this I haven't been on many holidays and explored this beautiful world we live in, so 2015 is the year I go overseas and explore.

5. To get uni into perspective-it is a learning experience

In my 2 years at university I have tortured myself with expectations and pressures of being the best.  This ultimately means I don't enjoy uni, as I find it stressful and overwhelming.  I hated going, hated doing assignments, broke down when it was exam time-NO MORE!!  In 2015 I am going to look at uni for what it is-a learning experience.  I don't have to be the best or get high distinctions every assessment piece.  Instead, uni is a fantastic opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge in an area that I love (psychology). 

6. To search for my passion

7. To grow and develop my independence 

I live at home with my beautiful Mum and I love it and am so thankful she looks after me.  But in 2015 I want to gain some more independence.  I'm not quite sure how yet-but in 2015 I am going to try and be more independent!!

Big Hugs,

Katie xoxo

How To Love Yourself

STOP ALL CRITICISM: 
Criticism never changes anything.  Accept yourself as you are, as damaged and as flawed as you think you may be.  Everybody changes, and when you criticise yourself, your changes are viewed as negative.  When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

DON'T SCARE YOURSELF:
STOP terrorising yourself with your negative thoughts.  Instead focus on a positive mental image that gives you pleasure (a beach, a park, the sun on your back, a giant belly laugh), and switch your negative/scary thought into a positive, pleasurable thought.

BE GENTLE, BE KIND, BE PATIENT:
Just as you would be gentle, kind and patient to a friend or family member, be gentle, kind and patient with yourself.  You are your own friend, treat yourself with love and compassion, self love doesn't happen overnight, it's an ongoing process-you have to work for it and practise and wake up each morning determined to be gentle, kind and patient.

BE KIND TO YOUR MIND:
A little reminder: "If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?" 

Don't hate yourself for having scary or negative thoughts, but gently change them into positive and self-loving thoughts.

PRAISE YOURSELF:
Notice the little achievements you make in a day.  If that's waking up in the morning and getting out of bed, or not hating your body when you look in the mirror, or noticing that you are being gentle with yourself-appreciate those little wins and be proud.

SUPPORT YOURSELF:
You need to find ways to support yourself-talking to family or friends, seeing a psychologist, doing some gentle exercise or writing a journal.  It is totally ok to ask for help, you are not expected to fight this on your own!

In fact, I remember the day I asked for help, I cried to my Mum and told her that I was having such negative, self hating thoughts and that I had tried to combat them on my own but they weren't going away, and I remember she just hugged me-and it was then I knew, she was going to help me make proactive steps to get better! (and what a relief that was-I felt like I could breathe away)

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY:
Life is all about BALANCE-eat chocolate sometimes, guess what!? It's not going to kill you.  But most of the time nourish your body with beautiful fruits and vegetables.

I always imagine my body as a number of beautiful cells, that function to make me a beautiful, strong person and when I eat those nourishing foods, each one of those cells lights up, giving that cell the best opportunity to look after me!

Exercise-not to kill yourself and make you sore, but exercise to move your body-you have been given this most brilliant machine (your body), that does every to look after you and allow you to live and learn and grow, and a way to look after your machine is to move it gently (walking, running, yoga, bike riding).

MIRROR WORK-THE HARDEST STEP!!!
Look in the mirror each day and say "I am a beautiful individual. Filled with infinite possibilities, I am here for a reason-to make a change, I am going to embrace my individuality and BE ME."
(and guess what!? Perhaps by being you, you might change the world.  You never know, but you have to be YOU to find out).

DO IT NOW
Not tomorrow, not next Monday, not when you feel better, not when you lose weight, not when you get a better job, not when you get your dream partner-DO IT NOW!! Put one foot forward and start this hard (but beautiful and WORTH IT) journey to loving yourself.

An ending note, I truly believe that every single person on this planet was put here to make a difference (big or small), please, please, please, love yourself enough and embrace you, so you can make that change.

I love you and someday (hopefully very soon) you will love you too!

Big Hugs,
xoxo Katie

Male Anorexia- Break the Stigma

This video makes me so sad, the poor guy can't even think clearly because he's that unwell and underweight. Anorexia is a horrible illness at the best of times, even when you have all the support of family, friends and the health care system. I cannot imagine how hard it is for males to fight and beat this illness with little to no health care support and facilities. The stigma around eating disorders and any other mental illness needs to eliminated. It's not good enough that the stigma around mental illness is preventing people from getting better and living a beautiful, fulfilling life.

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/…/…/25908352/anorexia-affecting-men/ 

A Girls Night

This last Saturday 2 of my best girlfriends came over for dinner and a movie night.  We had a lovely (healthy) dinner, consisting of a roast vegetable quinoa salad (my specialty), and if I do say so myself, it was super YUM!!!

After dinner, we sat down to watch High School Musical (an all-time fav)- what could be better than a sing along, plus Zac Efron! As we were watching, one of my friends said "can we build a gingerbread house!?" Next minute we were at the supermarket buying the ingredients.

We found a pre-made gingerbread house, which was great because it saved a lot of time making gingerbread.  So we bought a lot of lollies and chocolate to decorate our house!

It was pretty easy, just make icing (icing sugar and water) and use that to stick on the various lollies and chocolate onto the gingerbread house(we used; liquorice, chocolate almonds, snakes, chocolate freckles, M&Ms, timeouts and flakes-plus others).  We also used marshmallows to make a cute snowman.

We had SO much fun decorating the house, filled with laughter and Taylor Swift sing-alongs!

Here is the finished product....

The Honest Truth

I try, I really do try to be positive and happy and a lover of life, but a lot of the time I don't feel that way.  I want this blog to be an honest account of my journey and a place for me (one day) to look back and see how far I've come.

So, this blog post is the most recent e-mail I've sent my psychologist.

Recovery is a journey, some days you feel great and excited, but the reality is, there will be some days where you feel shit and sad and scared and frustrated.  Recovery is learning how to cope with those 'crap' days and hopefully one day, we all, won't experience them.

Be strong, continue on your self-love journey.

Remember, a stone in the road, won't stop you from reaching your destination.

Hi Jeannie,

Sorry I haven't been in touch.

I don't really know where to start, because honestly I don't really know what the issue is, all I know is that something does not feel right.  I try, I really do try to be self-loving and a kind person to myself, but if I'm completely honest with you, there is no one I hate more than myself.  I feel like I have a ball of fire in my heart and it results in anger and anxiety.  I feel like i want to yell and scream and punch a wall.

Even though, physically I am not anorexic anymore, mentally I am still very unwell.  Every night I go to bed with thoughts of food and exercise, I'm constantly trying to restrict my diet (these days I am better at ignoring these thoughts), but honestly, it's draining and exhausting.  The thing that probably upsets me the most is that I am constantly comparing myself to every single person.  The logical, insightful Katie, knows that to compare yourself to people, is a waste of the person I am, but this doesnt stop me from doing it.  

I also get frustrated that i feel this way, I get frustrated that no one seems to understand, I get frustrated that Mum and Dad don't truly 'get it', I get frustrated that I have such a fantastic life but I can't seem to enjoy it.  I know that I am the only one that can help myself at the end of the day, but this is probably the scariest part of all of this.  It scares me that there is no easy fix and there is no one that can help me.  

I'm sad, I'm really sad and I'm exhausted from fighting and I'm really scared. 

Thanks,
Katie

The Secret to the Good Life

What does a good life look like? 

3 tips to living a fulfilled and happy life 

1. Increasing openness to experience 

• Being Open to experience (both positive and negative emotions) 

2. Increasing existential living

• Being able to live in the present moment without judgment 

3. Increasing trust in yourself 

• Being able to trust your own decisions and instinct 

Loving Myself

It's been two years now since I had severe anorexia, however I am still on my journey to loving myself.  

This blog will hopefully share with you what I do to make sure I develop a beautiful, loving relationship with myself.  

Life is journey, but it's a journey I attend to be here for.