(Eating Disorder Recovery) for Dummies.

February 8, 2015 inspiringmax

Take a complicated subject you know more about than most people, and explain it to a friend who knows nothing about it at all.

Well it seems amazing to me that today I celebrate my 200th post. I am also proud to say that is has only taken me 276 days to reach this milestone. Not a bad effort for someone who—works full-time and is writing a book.

It is the topic of my book that I thought may work well with today’s prompt—my thing is—how eating disorder recovery is possible. I have worked in the field since the 1980’s and have many years experience supporting people living with and recovering from an eating disorder. But what are they and how does one recover?

Eating disorders are psychological and physiological disorders that takes over the lives of those living with them as well as their families. They are characterised by an obsession with food, weight and body shape. There are 4 types:

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Other Specific Feeding and Eating Disorders
Binge Eating Disorders

People living with an eating disorder use a mixture of various behaviours to control their weight, numb their feelings and control their lives. Behaviours used that need to be manged in recovery are:

Restriction
Bingeing
Self-induced vomiting
Laxatives
Excessive exercise

Recovery involves stopping the use of these behaviours and replacing them with healthy coping skills. But how?

There are 6 stages of recovery. It is an individual journey and can take between 2-7 years from the commencement of when people decide to recover. This in fact may be several years after the person was diagnosed.

The stages of recovery are:

Nutrition Management
Stopping Eating Disorder Behaviours
Feelings management
Passions
Relationships
Intimacy

My book—Inspiring Hope: How Eating Disorder Recovery Is Possible covers all of these areas and many more. Breaking the hold an eating disorder has is difficult. It requires addressing many individual issues some of which are initially unknown. There is no map for the journey, but it is definitely one that needs professional help. The quicker help is sought, the better. However seeking help late doesn’t mean someone is not treatable — even if you have had an eating disorder for years. Committing to recovery and connecting with a treatment team is what makes a difference. This is always hope.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/daily-prompt-2/

Lessons From My Teachers

February 2, 2015 inspiringmax

Tell us about a teacher who had a real impact on your life, either for the better or the worse. How is your life different today because of him or her?

Teachers are about education. And from my experience good and bad teachers teach you skills, even if it wasn’t what they set out to teach you. My school years were the late sixties and seventies—a different era. Most of my teachers taught me well and used skills that I consider imperative today when interacting with or teaching my patients.

Caring
Confidence
Consistency
Good Communication
Honesty
Individuality
Kindness
Listening Skills
Non-judgmental
Patience
Respect
Self-Belief
Transparency

In 5th class however, my teacher was the opposite. He made my life so difficult. He picked on me, made me the laughing stock of the class and criticised everything I did. This lead to poorer marks that meant my grading in high school was lower than it should have been. Despite this I worked my way back up and the gifts I gained from him are RESILIENCE and a never say never attitude. All of these skills and qualities combine to make me the person I am today. It is all part of the patchwork quilt of my life.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/teachers-pet/

Tears of Joy

January 1, 2015 inspiringmax

We cry for lots of reasons: sadness, pain, fear . . . and happiness. When was the last time you shed tears of joy?

Psychologists now believe the purpose of tears of joy may be for the body to “restore emotional equilibrium”. This possibly explains why you can never stop tears coming, they are just there like an overflowing bath.

I am a sensitive person and I cry easily. Both tears of joy and sadness. I am more likely to cry tears of joy as I respond to other people’s statements, personal memories or connect with something. When people tell me happy things I get teary because I am happy for them. As I am a nurse and counselor, this is sometimes initially a surprise to the other person. The chances of me crying are doubled if the person I am listening to is describing how something I suggested to them worked out well. For this reason I have to watch the mascara I use or I live my life with panda eyes.

Photo Credit: Google Images

The last time I cried tears of joy was today, New Years eve in Canada. My husband showed me video of Sydney’s New Year’s eve fireworks. This took me back to my usual New Years eve in Sydney with family. We have a nice family dinner at home and when it is time for the fireworks, we go for a short walk to a position from which we can see some of the high fireworks from the Sydney harbour bridge live and several other fireworks displays going off all over Sydney. It is exciting. On our return home, we watch the television version to see the lower fireworks that we missed.

http://youtu.be/etij8MBThHY

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2015 bring you all great joy.

http://youtu.be/etij8MBThHYhttps://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/happy-happy-joy-joy/

My Timely Gift.

December 26, 2014 inspiringmax

You wake up one morning to find a beautifully wrapped package next to your bed. Attached to it is a note: “Open me, if you dare.” What’s inside the mystery box? Do you open it?

Today is Christmas day. However, as I am travelling I wasn’t expecting Santa to drop by. Then suddenly I noticed a beautifully wrapped gift at the end of my bed this morning.

Imagine my surprise. Being a positive, glass half full type of girl, of course, I was going to open it. I believe everything happens for a reason. But, what could be in my gift? I had no idea. So, I decided I would put myself out of my misery and just open it.

Or so I thought.

The problem. It was very well wrapped. Each layer was individually wrapped with instructions or a quote like in pass the parcel (the children’s game).

The first layer said “Always remember. You can do it”.

Yes. This is something I am working on.

The second layer said “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.

I was suddenly beginning to understand. Often, I didn’t know how I could get through a situation. But when I had no choice, I always came through with flying colours, by following my gut instinct.

The third layer and the toughest to get to said, “Change your attitude. Think of difficult situations as opportunities to take up a challenge, not obligations to be met”

Now I was excited. With these reminders my self-belief will improve greatly. Giving me more potential to make my dream of becoming a published author in 2015, a reality.

What a timely gift. I am glad I dared to open it.

Thanks. I am grateful.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/mystery-box/

Control Your MInd

December 6, 2014December 6, 2014 inspiringmax

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” goes the famous song about New York City. Is there a place — a city, a school, a company — about which you think (or thought) the same? Tell us why, and if you ever tried to prove that claim.

Success begins in our minds. We decide our own fate. Whether we make it or not is up to us. It is our responsibility to control our thoughts. In response, our thoughts will control our outcomes.

Jack Canfield asks “do you take 100% responsibility for your life?” I believe if you want to make it, you need to take 100% control of your self-belief.

Decide what you want to do and control your self-doubt. You can’t make it in New York City or anywhere else with self-doubt driving you. Your mind controls your success, so control your mind. Five years ago, I began writing my book on eating disorder recovery. Initially, I was excited. I was doing what I always wanted to. Then suddenly, the more I wrote, the more I doubted others would be interested in what I had to say. My self-doubt had kicked in, but I didn’t let it stop me.

“What right do you have to be writer? Who wants to read what you have to say anyway?” said my self-doubt.

“Of course, I have something valuable to say. I have helped people with my advice for years” I replied.

This was a regular conversation/argument in my brain. However, over time the more I wrote, the easier it was to shut down my self-doubt. From here my self-confidence and self-belief grew. Allowing me to share my work with others, receive positive feedback and take my journey to the next level by self-publishing next year.

So, wherever or in whatever field you want to make it, remember the first step to making it, is to control your mind.

DREAM

BELIEVE

ACHIEVE

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/make-it-anywhere/

I See Something

October 11, 2014 inspiringmax

http://youtu.be/rffLyHrLqMs

This years World Championship of Public Speaking was won by Dananjaya Hettiarachchi. In his award winning speech, Dananjaya tells the story of how people believing in him, changed his attitude to himself and as a result his life.

Have you ever had the joy of improving someone’s life by believing in them. The more they don’t believe in themselves, the more powerful someone else’s belief can be. Start by telling someone you can see potential in what they are doing or could do. It is this belief that can and will change lives.

If you are someone who needs direction to change your life, seek out people who believe in you and can guide your way. We can all improve our lives by seeing something in ourselves and setting the bar a little higher to reach that next goal.

Be inspired today to see something in everyone. Be that glimmer of hope that can turn into a bush fire of potential. Who knows were it will take you or them?