Speaking your truth is hard. Each one of us has our own story that is completely and utterly us. There are no two stories that are the same which is why sharing those stories is incredibly terrifying. Sharing with strangers or loved ones what scares you, what makes you laugh and what makes you cry is opening yourself up to a world of vulnerability.
I remember fearing the “what ifs”: What if the people close to you reject you once they hear your truth? What if no one cares? What if people laugh?
First of all, if ANYONE does any of those things above to you then THEY are NOT worth your time! Secondly finding the courage and strength to share your story gives you power. Your story is yours and only yours but you don’t have to carry it alone. Sharing your story takes it out of your head and offers others the chance to carry it with you.
When it comes to eating disorder recovery one of the hardest parts for me was finding the courage to let people know that I suffered from an eating disorder, even though it was in the past. It is something that I felt ashamed of and I didn’t want people to judge me on.
But by sharing it, and facing it, I took control of my story.
My eating disorder, for better or worse, was at one time my only friend. E.D was there for me when I felt alone or scared but it was an abusive relationship. While pretending to be a friend, E.D. was actually the one destroying me from the inside.
Sharing my story helped me step out of my head. It allowed me to recognize that E.D. was a part of my past but it didn’t have to be apart of my present and it most definitely didn’t have to define my future.
By telling people about my journey through recovery, both good and bad, I was able to take something that was destructive to my life and use it as an opportunity to stand up for myself.
What’s your story? Have you ever thought about writing it down on paper?
If you are curious about strategies that will help you share your story check out this next post: Here Are Five Things I Did to Find the Courage to Share My Story.
Anton
Sometimes, it’s so hard to share something about ourselves.
Hannah
So true. It can take some time and I feel that is okay. You just need time to build up the skills to do so. Check out Friday’s post about 5 steps you can take to help you share your story