Gratitude and Eating Disorder Recovery (Including Journal Prompts)
Gratitude is a phrase that pops up a lot around November, as we head into Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. But gratitude is beneficial all year. The benefits of gratitude are wide-ranging, from emotional to physical to social, and gratitude is an easy way to help you feel centered without much time or effort. As we head into the holiday season, let’s explore gratitude a little more, and why it’s a great tool to have for someone with an eating disorder. We’ll also have some journal prompts at the end, so stick with us- you’ll be thankful you did.
Benefits of Gratitude
The benefits of gratitude are extensive and impressive. Research has shown that gratitude can positively impact your life in a variety of ways, including reducing depression, lowering anxiety levels, supporting cardiovascular health, decreasing stress, improving relationships, and allowing for more restful sleep. A study published in July 2024 in JAMA Psychiatry found reasonable evidence that practicing gratitude regularly protects from all causes of death.
The Importance of Gratitude and the Holidays
For someone in eating disorder recovery, the holidays can feel overwhelming, and gratitude may be scarce. From all the social gatherings, to the focus on foods that aren’t a part of daily eating, the holidays can bring up a lot of tricky feelings. Give yourself grace, and remind yourself that you’re choosing to do things differently this year. Focus your gratitude on things that you are thankful for. This won’t remove the difficult feelings, but will help you to stay focused on the good, and reduce your anxiety around the scary parts. Remove any ‘shoulds’ from your mind, and allow yourself to feel whatever gratitude you feel. You can be grateful for the family members and friends you are surrounded by, even if the food feels triggering to you. Try and focus on staying present in your gratitude.
If accessing gratitude feels too overwhelming to start, finding a body-neutral affirmation might be a helpful place to begin. Choose one, two, or any of the following affirmations, and say them to yourself with your hand over your heart. Breathe in with the affirmation, and breathe out a silent, “Thank you.”
I am inherently worthy
I am grateful to have a body
I deserve to enjoy delicious food
I will respect my body
My body is the least interesting thing about me
I view my body without judgment
My body deserves compassion
My worth doesn’t depend on my size
Bodies are allowed to change
My relationship with my body is no one else’s business
Journal Prompts
We want to encourage you to find gratitude in your life. Start small, start where you are, and keep going. We’d love to hear from you in the comments or on our Instagram page (@namastenourishedgroup) about what journal prompts really resonated with you, what you’re finding gratitude in these days, or what you’d be grateful for from us. Sharing your thoughts with us makes us so thankful!
3 things I’m grateful for today
Something that made me smile today
What could I do to brighten someone’s day tomorrow?
One thing you love about your body (just one!)
One thing you do to take care of yourself
Write a letter to yourself as if you were one of your friends. What positive things would you say?
What song do I love dancing to?
What is the kindest thing someone has said about me?
What is the last thing I read/saw/heard that I loved?
Something I’m looking forward to (it can be tomorrow, this week, this holiday season, or even next year)
Write a thank you note to someone you appreciate
If you feel like you need extra support as we move into the holiday season, or you want to get one-on-one guidance incorporating gratitude into your eating disorder recovery, please reach out to us. We’d be honored to walk this journey with you, and help you find the joy in this and all seasons.