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Inspiration for recovery and for living; Streep, Thatcher and Freeman

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Category: Inspiring Women, Inspiring Lives
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Eating disorders narrow your perspective on your life and what is possible for you in the world. Obstacles seem not only huge, which may or may not be a realistic appraisal. But, to the eating disorder mind, obstacles may seem impervious and impassable, leaving you with no options except retreat into your eating disorder. 

When you begin to use the strength you use to maintain your eating disorder and your eating disorder thinking for something else, you can create a much better life for yourself.  Let these women inspire you.

P.S. Watch the video till the end.  If you don't have the time, at least watch it through the Mum Bett - Elizabeth Freeman story.

What moments in the stories of the three women in this video startle you or inspire you?  What can you draw, even from just a moment in their stories, to support you in recognizing and facing and effectively dealing with your obstacles?

National Womens History Museum

Margaret Thatcher info

Margaret Thatcher video bio

Elizabeth Freeman - Mum Bett

Meryl Streep

 

 

 

Comments  

mylifex2
0 # ok, I know this first part probably isn' — mylifex2 2011-12-19 19:13
ok, I know this first part probably isn't what you are looking for, but my initial reaction to this interview is how how confident Streep comes across. By no means is she a large woman, but she certainly is not the typical underweight star that the media attempts to constantly throw in our faces as "ideal". She displays strength and does not apologize for having it. She is well able to step into the strength of the characters with ease because she is confident, strong, and passionate herself. I most admire her transparency. I think perhaps transparency is a tricky thing for me...I am feeling that I am being "transparent" because people can see my weaknesses.. however, when I then think of the true meaning of transparency I realize that it encompasses more than showing how you are feeling...I think it also includes showing strength through one's vulnerabilities. I often don't possess that courage because I don't want anyone to get that close to me. The women in these stories took a stand for themselves and their principles. They do not apologize for who they are. I feel I have spent my whole life apologizing for who I am. I guess my ED is what I use to avoid feeling these vulnerabilities. It is my false control. My false strength. What a beautiful thing it would be to have this shackle off my feet and not apologize for who I am, but to take all of the adversity and turn it into something powerful and useful.
shh
0 # For me, the key thing is accepting that — shh 2011-12-20 05:44
For me, the key thing is accepting that you don't need to be strong ALL of the time....or even that appearing outwardly strong all of the time is not necessarily something to aspire to.

There's a song in the charts here at the moment by Jessie J, and there's one line in it that gets me every time I hear it, when she sings "it's okay not to be okay"
And accepting that, for me, is where the true strength lies!

I can remember my therapist saying I was selfish for never sharing my troubles and never letting anyone see that I wasn't okay - it totally floored me, as I believed that I concealed those things to be kind to my friends because I would've felt selfish putting upon them, and by bringing doom and gloom to what should be a happy meeting - selfish for expecting someone to care about me.

But the way she explained it to me was that I was letting them give 100% of themselves to me, and I was only giving 50% back in return; that they did care about me whether I wanted them to or not, and I was being ungrateful in holding them at arms length and not trusting them with my feelings when they trusted me implicitly with theirs.

And so I try now to let them see how vulnerable I am at times, and I feel strong because of that! Only last week I was collecting my youngest from kindergarten, and I saw my friend who is a teacher at the school next door...usually we would just wave and say hello, but this time she excused herself from her colleague and said "just one minute..." and came running across the playground, massive smile, and literally jumped on me and threw her arms around me like she hadn't seen me for years (it was prob about 2 weeks)....and d'you know, it felt amazing! And I put it down to letting people see the "whole me" now, as I feel so many of my friendships have improved recently.

Sorry that was slightly tangential!
mylifex2
0 # I followed you lol :) It's interesting — mylifex2 2011-12-20 17:30
I followed you lol :-) It's interesting that we both used the word vulnerable as did Jan in her most recent forum post. I was reading in HHH earlier and the word vulnerable came up several times in the chapter. Must mean something important...like I said, vulnerability is a scary concept. It means I have to feel. It means I have to be honest with myself about how I am feeling.
Proud of your progress, shh. I know how hard it can be to let people in.

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