Topic Tuesday: Recovery

“Sharing Your Story” (By: Heather McAlister)

The other day I was talking with a friend that just went through a break up. She has been having a really hard time with it, but through the break up she’s realized some things about herself. She told me she realized that she had not moved on from some bad stuff that happened in her past. She had been unknowingly projecting these feelings onto her boyfriend.

She also told me that she was starting to see that she is not very open about her feelings. Growing up her family was never a very open family when it came to their feelings, so she never really learned how to express herself very well. But my friend has decided to look at everything going on as a revelation. She has been working hard to understand and feel everything presently so that she can move forward from the negative things in her past.

I told her that it will be very hard to bring up feelings she has suppressed for so long, but she will come out stronger and she will know herself better.

She also told me that she does know what the hardest part of her healing process in this revelation will be – to confront her family about some things she feels she can’t be open with them about. I won’t get into why or what exactly that is.

This is something that has been scary and very difficult for her to do. She is afraid that they will get upset with her and possibly not want to talk to her anymore. I told her that I believe whatever happens in the end she will be okay and that she actually will feel as if a weight has lifted off her shoulders. That load, though tough to let go of, is no longer hers to carry.

I told her that the best thing I ever did for myself in order to move on and heal was to share my story. I said to her when she is ready she should slowly start sharing bits of her story to friends; even strangers. Why? Sharing your story does several things: 1) (Like I said) It lifts a weight off of your shoulders and helps you to move forward instead of staying in the past, 2) It attracts people that have gone through the same experiences who could become huge healers in your life as well as mentors or friends, and 3) It helps you realize some things about yourself and how far in your struggles you have come!

It took me a really long time to tell my story about my eating disorder because I was so ashamed. But when I started sharing it with people, I realized how supportive people could be and how many wonderful people showed up in my life. When I was open about it I no longer felt defeated. I felt I had conquered something impossible. Think about how your story could touch someone. Write it down. It may even inspire you and open some wonderful possibilities.

About the Author

Heather is a Nashville native and a Holistic Health Coach. She became a Health Coach because of her own struggle with an eating disorder and years of body image issues. She created Dancer Inside to help young women with body image issues find balance in their lives by creating a healthy relationship with food and with themselves.