Taking time to care for yourself is an important part of recovery from an eating disorder. As Audre Lorde said, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation....” With that in mind, we've compiled a master list of ideas, inspiration, tips and tidbits to help you find the kind of self-care that works for you! Take a look and feel free to experiment!
Look at inspiring messages and images online
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is active on a variety of social media platforms. Let’s get social, strengthen our recovery community, stay up to date on the latest news, and create a world without eating disorders – together! Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
check out the NEDA Blog
The NEDA blog has tons of pro-recovery and self-care posts--here’s a sampling that you might like:
- 10 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Love
- 3 Tips for Coping with Triggers in Eating Disorder Recovery
- 5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Troubling Times
- 10 Self-Care Tips for Caregivers
- The Power of Self-Care
22 “Less Difficult” Ways to Practice Self-Care
Source: mapsfortheroad
- wash your face
- brush your teeth
- gargle listerine
- throw on some pants
- watch something funny on tv, netflix, youtube or etc
- read #gmh
- take a breather
- drink some water
- watch some calming time lapse videos
- listen to positive music
- make/add a list of beautiful things
- tend to your hair
- read your positive affirmations
- cuddle with pets
- or grab a stuffed animal
- clip your nails
- start reading something positive
- or something very funny
- #positivity
- look at cute animals
- hey, good news!
- repeat to yourself the fact you deserve to treat yourself better than you have been. that you have the capacity to be who you want to be, even if you don’t think it’s true.
Simple Breathing Exercise: Sync Your Breath to this Shape!
10 Activities To Make You Happier Today — That Don't Involve Spending Money
Via MindBodyGreen
- Have a marathon with your favorite actor or actress
- Be anonymously nice
- Treat yourself to a home spa day
- Make some of your Pinterest pins
- Read the archives of your favorite blogs
- Start a happy book
See the rest of the list and get more details here!
45 Simple Self-Care Practices for a Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul
Via Tiny Buddha
- Go cloud-watching. Lie on your back, relax, and watch the sky.
- Punctuate your day with a mini-meditation with one minute of awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of focused attention on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a whole.
- Give your body ten minutes of mindful attention. Use the body scan technique to check in with each part of your body.
- Get fifteen minutes of sun especially if you’re in a cold climate. (Use sunscreen as appropriate.)
- Write out your thoughts. Go for fifteen minutes on anything bothering you. Then let it go as you burn or bin the paper.
- Use your commute for a “Beauty Scavenger Hunt.” Find five unexpected beautiful things on your way to work.
- Stroke a pet. If you don’t have one, go to the park and find one. (Ask first!)
- Plan a two-day holiday for next weekend. Turn off your phone, tell people you’ll be away, and then do something new in your own town.
See all 45 self-care practices on the Tiny Buddha blog!
