Six word recovery stories

Ernest Hemingway was rumored to have been challenged to write a story in just six words. His masterpiece?

For sale, baby shoes, never worn.

(Snopes.com raises some doubts as to how true this story was, but it's still a haunting piece.)

This story and the whole six word autobiography craze got me thinking about whether we could put together some good six word recovery stories.

A few of mine:

Start eating, keep eating, never stop.

But it is about the food.

Fall down? Get right back up.

Your task, dear readers, is to share your own six word recovery story. Ideally, I will include them in my book and share a compilation of all them on the blog.

So what are you waiting for? Start sharing!

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61 comments:

Anonymous said...

Each day is okay to restart.

My perspective will catch reality eventually.

My brain lies, food does cure.

EvilGenius said...

Can I have a four-word one?

'stop trying; start living' :)

Jenny Z said...

enjoy the moment, forget the pain.

ckhalifa said...

My son deserves a healthy mommy.

A:) said...

Wait it out. It WILL get better.

(7 words, sorry Carrie!)

Anonymous said...

Practice self-care, then share the love.

Katie said...

To paraphrase Elvis:
Little less conversation, little more action
:P

Blame ED for pain, not recovery

Anorexia told lies, health is awesome

ED is dead, long live Katie

This is fun!

Anonymous said...

Can I ever leave this behind?

Anonymous said...

Whatever ED says, do the opposite.

Colleen said...

My life is worth the fight.

M said...

Recovery: keep calm and carry on.

Slips are part of life. Perservere.

Start. Stop. Retart. Slip. Keep going.

Step by step is good walking.

Anonymous said...

It is hard but worth it.

Eating disorders suck. Recovery does not.

Katie said...

Ok - this one is 7 words, but its often my "intention" when I go to yoga - helps refocus me in my recovery -

Love your body, Love yourself, be Loved

and then sometimes I use this -

Take care of yourself, be yourself

hm said...

re: my ed:

I crave emptiness that kills me.

re: recovery:

Let go, take in, find life.

Sarah at Journeying With Him said...

The glory of God is man fully alive. (That was eight words, I know, but it's the thought that has kept me going. I want to be fully alive!)

Great post idea. I loved reading everyone's and I will check in later to read more.

Anonymous said...

Life is worth braving anxiety’s jaws.

MaxCarey said...

No more life should be squandered.

j.m.r. said...

Needing to know that it's okay.

Just relax...just relax...Justin, relax.

Stop giving a f*ck. Good luck.

Today - okay. Yesterday - not so much.

Tomorrow will come. I'll greet it.

Abby said...

two steps forward, one step back.

Anonymous said...

Thriving and flourishing beat simply existing.

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to be normal again.

Anonymous said...

In trash, size zero, never again.

This six word line replays in my head almost daily, but needs a small backstory to have the most meaning. One awful "relapsy" night I was talking to my boyfriend about how I felt more comfortable when I could "feel my bones". He said, "Don't lose weight, just press harder!"

It made me giggle. And, though I know this was not his intention, spoke to a deeper meaning about recovery. It reminded me that, if I ever started to feel like relapsing again, I needed to remember to press harder at recovery!

Beautiful!

Unknown said...

Here's a couple:
A mother, learning to mother me.

Dug myself up; redesigning the structure.

Thanks, Carrie!

Jeanne

Mary B said...

There's more to life than bones.

Mary B said...

We are better without Ana's help.

Simone said...

Fighting to get my life back.

Learning to walk without anorexia's crutch.

Scared to eat, scared not to.

I wish for a better life.

PS. Love your blog Carrie, you are an inspiration :)

Anonymous said...

Just eat and see what happens.

Stephanie said...

These are not original but borrowed from some of my favorite quotes:

When going through hell keep going
This too shall pass, now please!
One day/meal at a time.
Grant me serenity, courage, wisdom, acceptance
DBT-Use my Skills-Radical Acceptance-Mindfulness-

Remy said...

Try. Fail. Try again. Fail better.

Dawn said...

Recovery is hard but worth it.

My kids need their mommy. Alive.

It is darkest before the dawn.

I am worth fighting for. ALWAYS.




loving the other answers! Such a great post, Carrie and great answers as well :)

Anonymous said...

Your life is always worth it.

It's okay to ask for help.

Anonymous said...

Down, up, down, up, down, UP.

Former suffering transformed into brilliant success.

From the depths into the heights.

Take one bite at a time.

Gaining weight, gaining perspective, gaining life.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Get ED OUT of your head!!

Angela said...

Worried woman, growing weary, finds strength.

Susu Paris Chic said...

Too much, too little, try right.

Anonymous said...

No more discarded lunchboxes in trashcans.

Convincing yourself it's just a banana.

Having ice cream with friends again.

SmartBoardWiz said...

Overwhelm does not mean quit.

Being alone is not loneliness.

ED isn't my lover nor my friend. (okay that's 7)

Fall, get back up, fall again...

Mowdle said...

Neverending battle of wills and won'ts.

Send ED to Coventry...or further...

Dump ED - find your TRUE freinds.

Read Carrie's blogs whenever you can!!!

hannah said...

little steps on a big path...

Katie @ Health for the Whole Self said...

•I found balance amidst the extremes.

•Thought I couldn’t. Then I did.

•Started living when I stopped obsessing.

Amanda said...

Who do you want to be?

Tiptoe said...

Love this is idea, Carrie. Many dog people do a six-word memoir summing up their own dogs when they pass away.

A few off the top of my head:

Recovery is healing from your pain.

Eating is one step to life.

Eating is fuel for your dreams.

Food is really not an enemy.

From darkness, we can find hope.

Healthy means letting go of ED.

Part of recovery is finding yourself.

Relapse does not mean you've failed.

Recovery takes time, always be patient.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

Today doesn't have to be tomorrow.

Having a supportive network is helpful.

Learning to free yourself is hard.

You never know until you try.

There is a life beyond ED.

Life is beautiful, take a look.

Anonymous said...

Punitive starvation just makes me fatter.

Motorina said...

Screw insight; eat the next meal.

Anonymous said...

recovery, it is in the grays.

Victoria said...

Someday your pain will be rewarded.

Anonymous said...

Wish I could stop, but can't
Keep going, always fight
Keep chewing until it's gone

Anonymous said...

The mirror is but a liar

I am truley beautiful to someone

j.m.r. said...

I am no sicker than you.

Cakes and ale? No...yes, please.

SS said...

There will be beauty from ashes.

Remind yourself each day: I'm beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Taking my life back from annorexia

Never again will I live half alive (seven sorry!)



*Your blog is great!*

Unknown said...

Bliss: Beauty Lies in Self-Satisfaction

Anonymous said...

Eat to recover, then never stop

Anonymous said...

recovery is worth whatever it takes.

Anonymous said...

breathe in. breathe out. i am.

Anonymous said...

try. one bite at a time.

never give in to your thoughts.

when you think you can't, eat.

emmy said...

The only way out is through

my comfort zone is killing me

Anonymous said...

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.

Thanks, Carrie, just for being you.

Kaitlyn said...

*Use Kaitlyn's voice, destroy ED's choice

*Death is no way to live

*Be assertive, regain control, enjoy freedom!

Dawn said...

I forgot to say my favorite one last time I commented. I have often lately had to remind myself that...

Recovery's a process not an event.

Chippy said...

Speak Louder and Life will follow.

Avoidance does not solve the issue.

Breteni said...

Ate right. Lost weight. Got sick.

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About Me

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I'm a science writer, a jewelry design artist, a bookworm, a complete geek, and mom to a wonderful kitty. I am also recovering from a decade-plus battle with anorexia nervosa. I believe that complete recovery is possible, and that the first step along that path is full nutrition.

Drop me a line!

Have any questions or comments about this blog? Feel free to email me at carrie@edbites.com



nour·ish: (v); to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth; to cherish, foster, keep alive; to strengthen, build up, or promote



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