It would become a defining Moment.........

Truth is, I don't always tell the details. Maybe in my own simple way I'm trying to protect myself from the pain I once knew. To relive the details, often means I have to go back in time and feel the unwanted all over again.
In any Recovery, feeling the pain once so very close is difficult. It's not so simple to do.

One year ago, almost to date, I decided to share my life with the world. I decided to open up about my battle with an Eating Disorder. Sure, I've talked about it with friends and a few other people, but never really told the truth. I managed to get by with those little "white lies."

My journey into self-discovery started in more than one area of my life. With the help of social media, I began sharing in depth yoga pictures of myself on Instagram. I was inspired by other yoga lovers like myself. I too, wanted to find freedom through pictures. A defining moment in my life was about to take place, little did I know.

During NEDA week 2014, I decided to come clean about my battle with Bulimia. For seven days, I posted different pictures representing the seven different Chakras. Each day I wrote either my own words or words someone else had written beautifully that described how I felt inside.
I remember posting a picture the very first day. Basically, my heart dropped to the floor. I was sacred out of my mind. I almost deleted everything I posted out of fear of what people would think of me. Truth is, people could not think any less of what I had already thought of myself at one point or another. I was my own worst enemy for years, what could be worse?

@breathebrooke

I posted this picture (above) and watched it go into the eyes of the world who followed me. I realized, I could only move forward from this point on.

2014

I've continued sharing my love & passion for yoga, amongst other things, using social media. I've  posted very real and raw images of myself that capture the attention of who I am, that explain thoughts that I've consumed.

2014 (this photo represented the restriction I once felt from my ED; similar to the feel I felt within
this asana  (plow pose ). I measured myself daily both physically & mentally. 

Today, you will notice a variety of my yoga pictures taking on many forms. I'm not going to hide my body like I have in the past. I'm not trying to promote inappropriate sexuality either. Please no misinterpretation of my posts and the many #hashtags  (#edrecovery, #edsoldier, #edwarrior, #loveyourbody, #fitoverskinny),used alongside my posts. I do not take these hashtags lightly. This is my recovery and I'm proud to share my recovery through my yoga posts. I'm not into sharing the variety of foods I eat like a diary on a daily post, that's just not my style.
The body is beautifully designed. In the Past, I never appreciated all the body could do for me.
Yoga has helped me to embrace my beauty, and quite frankly, I'm not about to let that go.
Truth is, even after eating a bowl of whatever I might have eaten, I'll strip down into my yoga apparel, maybe even my bathing suit, all for the sake of a photograph. I love fine tuning a posture, to put into a picture. Photographs have always said a "thousand words" to each set of eyes gazing. Photographs say a thousands things to me.
Right now, I might not be telling you all of the details that play a role in my recovery; like the fact that I think about food probably 90% of my day, the other 10% I'm either running

Whistler and I enjoying time together running & biking.

or practicing yoga and don't have time to think about food. I still think about not eating certain foods that once were considered my restriction foods. I still am concerned with making sure I do eat healthy vegetables like broccoli (my number one FAVORITE vegetable) every single day. I don't always tell the minute details because that's not what I want people to focus on when they read about me. I'm a Bulimic Yes, we all know that's an issue with binge/purge cycles. Let's move on from that and focus on what I want you to see in me. I want you to look at my pictures I share using Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with eyes of compassion. Compassion for the person in front of you for finding a place in Recovery, NOT sympathy. I'm not one to look for sympathy, that's beyond my character. All I ask, is someone to take the time to read my words, view my photographs, and listen to my heart. We all are on a journey; a different journey from one another, but on a journey. No journey, is less or more valuable than the person beside you. We all have a story; from a loving place and support, the story "truth" reveals itself.

(Daily reminder to
Breathe in Love first for myself and then for others) thanks to Affirmats.

My love for Handstands are Indescribable

As always, 

Love to all of you breathing through any

form of Recovery. Remember, you don't always have to share the gooey messy stuff about yourself. It's okay to focus on the positive uplifting aspects of your recovery. Let your process unfold naturally to the timing of your life. Be patient.

~Just Breathe

Brooke