Kaitlyn Stoddard | Mountain Miles • Ranch Living • Fine Art 📷🎨

They say having an eating disorder is like having an addiction in the sense that they are always there in the back of our head. There are seasons that are easier and seasons where things become really tough again, but that potential to downward spiral is always there tempting us to choose the compulsive behavior. 

 This time of year, when food, social gatherings, and expectations are everywhere… the voice of comparison, guilt and shame can get loud again. And it's so easy to fall into that downward spiral. 

But healing is an active process and not a one and done thing. It's a conscious choice - day in and day out - to choose to love yourself, to set boundaries, to make the healthier choice for you.  And you know what I’ve noticed about body image lately?

The more time I spend outside, the less space it takes up in my head. I was riding along In the mountains eating all the snacks and I realized how little I had thought about my body in a judgemental and condescending way. The food I was consuming was just fuel for adventures in some of the most stunning places. 

It feels like the wilder life becomes… the more I remember: our bodies are meant to be lived in, not scrutinized.  

Not perfect. Not posed. Not small.

Just strong yet soft, still and quiet sometimes and loud and alive others — and deeply enough.

If the holidays feel hard, you’re not broken. 

And you’re not alone 🖤  

The one thing I can always count on to help ground me, come back to the present, and be fully alive and content in my body - some time outside and a little fresh air. ⛰️

#1stphormoutdoors #athomeintheworld #eatingdisorderecovery #bodypositive #bodyimage