Hey guys!
Wow, I have not posted in so long. I am very sorry, I have been extremely busy these past few months! But things have died down for now, so hopefully I will be able to post more frequently! A lot has happened since the last time I posted-sorry in advance for the long post.
The first thing I would like to adress, is the book I mentioned in the last post that I was in the process of writing and getting published..it is now available for purchase! I will put the link down below to where you can buy it! All the proceeds will be donateed to the National Eating Disorders Foundation. I am so incredibly happy for this accomplishment, because it has been a way to share my story with others, and I have had people contact me telling me just how much it has helped them in their own recovery, and how much it has moved them. Thank you to everyone out there who has helped me and supported me through all of this. My dreams are starting to come true!
Next up is graduation and college!! Yes, I successfully got through all the classes, both online and at my school, yes, it was hard and sometimes seemed impossible, but I did it! And, I managed to end up in the top quarter of my class! I am so happy that I finally have a break, where I can relax and wait for college to start! For those of you who don't know, I will be attending High Point University in the fall! It is my dream school, and I am extremely excited to go there..counting down the days till move in!! I have already met some amazing people that are attending HPU also, and I hope this year will be amazing.
A very very tough thing happened to me in the middle of June, probably the hardest thing I have ever been through. My sweet labrador Max, had to be put down. We got Max as a little 6 week old puppy, just a bowling ball full of fur. He was always wagging his tail, loved being around people, and was there to hug when you felt down in the dumps. He lived a long life- and passed away at 12 and a half years old. He was deteriorating, he lost his hearing, and could barely walk on his own due to major artheritis. He was in a lot of pain, and it was a tough decision to put him down, but we decided it was the best decision, because we didn't want him to be in pain. My aunt, my mom, and I all went to be with him during the procedure. My sisters stayed home, because it is a very tough thing to watch happen. When they were putting the medicine in, I started having a major panic attack and was hyperventalating and had to be taken out of the room because I could not breathe. I probably cried non stop for a good 14 hours. I miss him so much and there is not a single day that I don't think about him and wish he was here, but I also do not want him to be in pain. I managed to get through that very well though. I did not act on any negative behaviors, and I have had to use ALOT of radical acceptance.
Finally, I want to talk about my summer so far!
Currently, I am in France. My aunt, who is also my godmother, for my 16th birthday, invited me to travel Europe with her for 4 weeks. We decided that this year would be the best year to do that, so I packed my bags on July 1st, and we have traveled to France and Italy. It has been amazing and I have seen the most beautiful things here. I am a quarter French, and most of my dads' side of the family lives in Europe, including my aunt, who lives in Paris. It was great visiting family, and I have fallen in love with Paris. This is not the first time that I have been in Europe, but this is a trip to remember. The trip has had its ups and downs (mostly ups though!) The "downs" usually stemmed from too many people in one area, which gives me major anxiety. In those situations, I suggest taking deep breaths, because it really does help. Also, I have now brought up the courage to wear bathing suits! That was a big step for me, because I have not felt comfortable in my body for a long time, but I finally have not only accepted the way I look, but I am starting to learn to love myself and my body, and to be respectful to it. To all those people out there who feel uncomfortable with the way they look, it is possible to get to the point of being able to look in the mirror and smile..not cry, and not by starving yourself or by using harmful behaviors either. It takes time, but it is possible. People need to be comfortable and happy with themselves.
Thank you so much to everyone for their support.
Stay Strong!
Link to my book:
https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Strong-Isabel-Whitcomb/dp/1533134960/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
