You tell yourself,
You're just going to have one.
This is the last time.
Tomorrow I will be better.
Why not?
What the heck?
Just one won't hurt.
Before you know it,
You are halfway through the bag,
The box,
The jar.
You then tell yourself,
Might as well finish it.
Don't want to leave any leftovers because tomorrow will be different.
I'll start again.
I don't want to eat these tomorrow,
Because I will be eating clean,
Healthy,
Sanely.
So you finish the bag,
The box,
The jar.
When the container is finished,
This is when you pause.
You stop and realize what has just happened.
The exact thing you told yourself would not happen again.
And here it happened again.
The shame,
The guilt,
The fear,
The analyzing,
The negative self-talk begins to make its way into your thoughts,
Into your stream of consciousness.
The minute you become aware of these thoughts,
I ask you to please pause,
Stop,
And take a breath.
Shame,
Guilt,
Fear,
Analyzing,
Berating yourself will not do a thing in the aftermath of an overeating or binge eating episode.
This is where forgiveness must come in.
The definition of forgiveness is the conscious decision to release resentment towards someone who has wronged you.
We can change this to the conscious decision to release resentment toward oneself when you have acted in an unsupportive,
Unhealthy way toward yourself.
You have probably told yourself a thousand times that you weren't ever going to eat the whole bag,
Box,
Or jar again.
And it has happened once again.
Are you able to find even the slightest hint of self-compassion for yourself in this moment?
Perhaps some understanding in why what happened happened.
Are you able to be gentle with yourself?
Put the figurative whip down and pick up a soft,
Cozy blanket.
Cover yourself in warmth,
Softness,
Comfort,
And compassion.
What's done is done.
Are you able to accept it,
Accept yourself,
And be there for yourself in the aftermath?
It is okay.
You are okay.
You will be okay.
It is not the end of the world.
You are not bad.
You are not a horrible person.
You are human.
You are not perfect.
Nobody is.
Nobody is.
Please dear one,
Let yourself off the hook.
Be there for yourself.
What's done is done.
Maybe journal about the experience.
What you were doing before the binge.
What you were thinking.
Was anyone around,
Or were you alone?
What sparked the overeating or binge?
Journaling can be a wonderful tool to find peace and forgiveness for yourself.
Some compassion for your humanness.
I know this isn't easy.
I know the struggle is very real.
It's a moment by moment,
Choice by choice,
Day by day process.
What happened happened.
Please sweetheart,
Do not add fuel to the already burning fire by shaming yourself,
Berating yourself,
Talking negatively to yourself about yourself.
You are okay.
You are not a bad person.
You are not a failure.
You are doing the best you can,
And the best you can is enough.
You are enough.
You are not alone.
Please be gentle and kind with yourself.
You deserve your own kindness.
You need your own love and support.
Take care of yourself.
Let go of the negative self-talk and comfort yourself in the here and now.
I am right here with you,
Walking this journey beside you.
Can you find it in your heart to forgive yourself,
In the here and now?
I believe in you.
You've got this.
We've got this.
Much love,
Namaste.
