Self-worth is a critical player in your recovery from an eating disorder. Think of it as a foundation that impacts different aspects of your journey toward healing.
In the latest episode of Fear Less, an audio series on The Recovery Warriors Show podcast channel, Jessica Flint and Andrea Wells shed light on how feelings of unworthiness can manifest in one’s relationship with food, body, exercise, and self-acceptance.
Unpacking the Language of Self-Worth
Feelings of unworthiness often come from how society expects you to look.
Having these messages reinforced by family can make this feeling worse.
These outside pressures can make you think you’re flawed, not good enough, and don’t deserve love and acceptance.
Challenging Self-Hatred and Unworthiness
Based on her own experience, Andrea shares how this distorted self-perception lays the foundation for eating disorders.
She talks about her teenage years when her eating disorder began because of societal and family pressures.
I felt like I was not worthy or good enough for society or my family.
Andrea Wells
The perpetuation of self-hatred proved to be a significant obstacle in her path to healing.
Discovering Inherent Worthiness
Through therapy and access to recovery resources, Wells discovered the concept of inherent worthiness.
At first, she struggled to accept it, feeling broken and undeserving.
However, she started practicing self-compassion and challenging her negative self-perception by imagining how she’d support a friend going through similar feelings.
Over time, her belief in her self-worth grew stronger, bringing her closer to recovery.
The Power of Neutrality and Impostor Syndrome
Jessica and Andrea also stressed the importance of neutrality in changing how you see your self-worth.
Accepting you might not be entirely unworthy is a crucial first step.
Maybe I’m not worthy, but maybe I’m not unworthy either.
Andrea Wells
You have to acknowledge the complex mix of self-perception influenced by society and self-criticism and open up to the possibility of inherent worthiness.
Self-Worth and Stories of Transformation
As you work on rediscovering your self-worth, stories of transformation can be useful.
They ignite change, foster personal growth, and cultivate a sense of worthiness by showcasing how others have overcome challenges similar to yours.
These stories can serve as an inspiration for you to believe in your own potential.
In Jessica’s case, reading Jewel’s memoir, “Never Broken”, served as a pivotal moment in her journey to discover her own worthiness.
Conclusion
Recognizing and breaking down feelings of low self-worth is a crucial step in your recovery journey.
When you work on improving your self-worth, you’re contributing to healing not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.
This paves the way for lasting recovery and a stronger self-connection.
Take a listen to the full episode and be inspired to start your journey toward rediscovering your self-worth.
Join the Courage Club Wait List
In the courage club, you can learn to alchemize fear into courage, and finally say goodbye to food struggles for good.
Get on the waitlist here → jointhecourageclub.com
