Thanks for your input! It's so encouraging to read about other's journeys!

I'm finding that step three has boosted my confidence and made me feel empowered too, but maybe in a different way. For a long time, I obsessed over trying to deal with my symptoms. I cut certain foods out and began to get paranoid about everything I ate. It started to alienate others from me because they thought I was crazy. They stopped believing that I was actually having symptoms and that made me doubt myself. I thought it was all in my head.

Now that I'm making proper and healthy connections through journaling, it's been amazing to see that they're not in my head! They're real! And then with step three, that heightened the feeling because I'm now acutely aware that when I go without food for too long, that's when the symptoms start. It, of course, has to do with what I ate previously to that, but going without food is a BIG factor.

I never would have thought that was a main problem back when I was obsessed. Learning to gauge how far between meals is perfect for me has been so eye opening! On the flip side, I've learned what grazing throughout the day does to me. For instance, I grazed a lot today because of a different schedule than I'm used to and you better believe I felt the difference! The sugar cravings were through the roof!

: delighted for you Marlia. I am really
: impressed with your skill
:

: I'm a paper journaller Even when
: doing a crossword or something I
: have to actually hold a pen to
: think Somehow it tunes in my
: brain pathways

: I can quite see though that using
: your phone suits you the same way
: which is marvellous

: and finding your own strengths is so
: empowering. Long lasting benefits
: that spill over into the rest of
: life. At least , that's what I
: feel. My second go at steps went
: much better, I think the
: experience of the first go was so
: useful for me, I learnt so much
: even though I was in a rush, it
: prepared me for a more mindful re
: - visit.

: step three was a huge step for me. I
: spent most of it grumbling I
: didn't want to eat on time. I
: didn't want the structure. There
: were all sorts of things I was
: grumbling about. Of course they
: were all my most helpful things in
: the end. I had to decide to stop
: wriggling about and just get on
: with it, and different settled
: words then started to appear in my
: journal

: my favourite bit of step three ? I
: think it was the start of me
: learning to listen to myself, to
: hear my body messages. The biggest
: change, at the end of step three
: was finding some self confidence.
: I particularly remember walking
: down a Mediterranean beach in a
: sarong and feeling great about it
: . In a similar vein I was able to
: go clothes shopping and not think
: the entire clothing industry had a
: conspiracy to make sure nothing
: would fit

: my most useful ? I think the no -
: snack bit, although that did take
: years. But that little piece has
: ultimately been my most steadying.
: Well I do have a snack in every
: bag for just in case. I don't need
: it any more but its a security
: blanket

: Love your story about re finding step
: two and all those positives
: Looking forwards to hearing more