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"A ship is safe in the harbour, but that's not what a ship is for" 💜 . I was clearing memory on my DLSR yesterday and this pic stood out. There's something so melancholy and beautiful about that lone boat sailing under that dramatic sky 🌊☁️ It got me thinking that this is exactly how I feel (and I bet a lot of us feel) sometimes - like I'm venturing into the scary unknown with no guarantee that a storm won't ruin me 👀 . The fear of that feeling can stop us doing things we care about. It can hold us back in familiar, safe places doing familiar, safe things - or maybe unsafe places and unsafe things that have come to FEEL safe through familiarity 😔 But it's so important that we face that fear of the unknown, when we can, with support 🙏 Without doing that, how will we ever find out what's beyond the harbour? We all deserve the opportunity to expand our horizons, whether that is literally through travelling or through trying new foods, reading new books and meeting new people. It's scary, but it's so, so worth it ❤️ . [ID: a small boat sails across a grey lake towards mountains in the distance. The sky overhead is dark and storm-like, but there's blue sky on the horizon] . #travels #travelling #northmacedonia #ohrid #perspective #adventure #anxiety #anxietyrecovery #iamnot1in5 #liveyourbestlife

Just your local anorexia survivor reminding you that you DO NOT need to change your body this January 👏 New Year can be the absolute WORST for our body image 🙍‍♀️ This past week I've been inundated with ads for gyms, shakes, athletic wear, supplements, diets...you name the weight loss "solution", someone is trying to sell it to me 🙄 . The internet can be a truly toxic place for folks recovering from disordered eating and body dysmorphia 😣 From influencers who should know better than to promote laxatives to their young audiences, to actors on chat shows celebrating how they don't drink water for days...it's a shit show of fads and triggers 😲 And the worst bit? These companies who sell these "solutions" PROFIT from picking us apart and making us feel disgusted with ourselves. It's truly the ugliest face of capitalism 🤢 . So here's a reminder that: 🙅‍♀️ You don't need to buy into diet culture - diets DON'T WORK 🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️ I'll say it again, DIETS DON'T WORK 👎 You can unfollow anyone who's making you feel bad about yourself 🤷‍♀️ Body ideals are changing all the time, so if you don't fit this current ideal, don't sweat it - there'll be a new ideal next year 🤨 Most influencers DO NOT have medical or fitness qualifications and SHOULD NOT be giving advice about other people's health 🤗 Your body is not the enemy, be kind to yourself 💜 . Also, if you are setting goals this month, remember any lifestyle change is HARD and takes sustained effort and micro-change over time, so cut yourself some slack with your goal setting ❤️ . PS here are some AWESOME people you can follow if you need a little boost this month: @millykeepsgoing @glitterandlazers @jazzmynejay @realryansheldon @watchshayslay @kenziebrenna @bodyposipanda @plussizetransguy @scarrednotscared @sassy_latte @jess_megan_ @_kellyu @laurathomasphd @effyourbeautystandards . [ID: Abi sits on her bed taking a selfie in a mirror that's several small square mirrors linked together. She wears an orange sports bra and high-waisted black shorts] . #edrecovery #mentalhealth #selfconfidence #iamnot1in5 #anorexiarecovery #anorexia #fuckdietculture #fitspo #healthateverysize #health #wellness #weight

✨ FOR JANUARY ✨ At the edge of the decade, breathe. You have made it here despite the heat of summer, the rot of autumn leaves, the shy daylight of December. You have made it here with memories that stick like poked tattoos, happily or unhappily, they form the fabric of you, patchworked like the fields the eagle sees. You have made it here with more of yourself and less, built up and hollowed out, like an old tree struck by lightning, soon to be filled with life again. At the edge of the decade, begin. . [ID: The words "For January, A poem" are written over a photo of a woodland path, made golden by wintery sunshine.] . #newyear #2020 #january #writersofinstagram #poem #poetry #poetsofinstagram #inspiration #beginning

#tbt the last time I felt genuinely confident💃🏼 I've felt so insecure lately 🙃 Partly this is stress-related. Christmas was a difficult time because of all the new foods and disrupted patterns, plus I'm currently working on 4 pieces of coursework and working out some personal stuff so I'm like AGH 24/7 😲 Trying to hold on to my confidence gets damn hard when there's so much tricky stuff going on 😳 . I used to beat myself up about this, as though I'd somehow "failed" if I wasn't confident in myself 🤔 There's a lot of rhetoric on social media about "loving yourself" that isn't very helpful. It creates an additional pressure: LOVE YOURSELF OR YOU'RE A FAILURE. It's not really that different from the inner critical voice so many of us have that says "hate yourself because you're a failure" 👀 . One thing I've found more helpful than self-love is the idea of self-worth. Self-worth isn't about being unconditionally enamoured with yourself all the time - it's about knowing you have inherent value just because you're a human being 😌 It's a gentler, simpler concept that doesn't require you to take tonnes of selfies and buy expensive spa retreats in the name of "loving yourself" 🤭 . Respecting your self-worth looks different for everyone, but some things I've found help me are: 📝 Writing positive reminders in my journal, simple things like "I am worthy of respect" 🙅‍♀️ Saying "no" to situations/people/opportunities that treat me like I'm worthless or less than 😌 Reminding myself that I deserve better than self-abuse when my brain is telling me mean things like "I'm not good enough" . Is there anything that helps you tap into your self-respect? ❤️ . [ID: Abi smiles at the camera. She's wearing red lipstick, and a pink long-sleeved top under a black plunge-neck dress] . #edrecovery #mentalhealth #selfconfidence #selflove #selfrespect #reminder #anxiety #stress #sayno #anorexiarecovery #anorexia

My busted camera makes this appropriately witchy 🧙‍♀️✨🕸️ Really enjoyed reading this spooky gem by Leslye Walton 🤓 I'm a real sucker for any story about witches and this did not disappoint 👏 . Read "The Price Guide to the Occult" for its: ✨ Refreshing, imaginative take on magic ♀️ Women-centred story 🕷️ Spooky vibes and gothic tropes ❤️ Good old teen romance with a twist . Content warning for self harm, abuse, toxic relationships - all handled well but it is tricky to read in parts! . [ID: Abi holds a book titled "The Price Guide to the Occult" by Leslye Walton. The cover of the book is black and spooky, featuring stylised trees with red leaves snaking all around them, plus a pair of hands with fern leaves covering the back of them like henna] . #books #witch #gothic #readersofinstagram #read #goodreads #bookish #spooky #writersofinstagram #ya #fiction

2019 has been one hell of a year 😅 Reflection has always been more useful to me than resolutions, so I thought I'd share some life lessons I learned this year. Link in the bio to the full post👆😇 . What did this year show you? What are you taking forward into 2020, and what are you leaving behind? 💕 . [ID: the words "5 things I learned in 2019" are written over the top of a picture of Tower Bridge at night-time. The Thames is black and the sky is grey, lit up by the glow of the lights on the bridge.] . #nye #2019 #resolutions #reflection #recovery #lifegoals #blog #writersofinstagram #journalling #growth #wellbeing #mentalhealth #iamnot1in5 #goals #travel

Uncertainty feels like the word of the moment 🙈 Between political nonsense, the spectre of climate change, and the personal upheavals of trying to figure out our place in the world, it’s no wonder so many of us feel overwhelmed 😳 . Managing uncertainty isn’t easy. We all have different levels of tolerance for ambivalence and a lack of clarity - some of us roll with it, some of us can’t stand it. If you’re an anxious bean like me, uncertainty can do WILD things to your brain 👀It can make you feel unsafe and out of control, and send you reaching for the nearest (probably unhelpful) coping mechanism 🙇‍♀️ . When I was in eating disorders treatment, my therapist and I talked a lot about control. As one human being in a vast, chaotic world, I actually have very little control 🤷 And to a certain extent, I do have a choice about how I respond to that fact. I can drive myself into the ground trying to pin everything down JUST SO, or I can let go a little, do my best to influence things for the better but also accept that change is part of life. Neither option is easy. But I know which option brings me more peace 😌 . If you feel overwhelmed by uncertainty and a lack of control, here’s an exercise for you to try (if you find this too upsetting to do, take a break or stop totally - you don't have to be perfect!): 📝 Take 5 minutes and free-write about what’s stressing you out - don’t censor yourself, just let the pen flow. 😎 Take a break, and after you’ve had some space, come back and read what you’ve written. 🤔 Notice: is there something about this situation you CAN control? Are there things about it that you CAN’T control? Make two lists. 🔍 Focus on the list of things you CAN control. Write down some simple actions that will help you take control of these things. This might include asking someone else for help. 🤗 Notice how you feel about the list of things you CAN’T control. Practice some self-compassion: know that it’s OK that you can’t control these things. Sit with that feeling, talk to someone about it, and over time, let these things go. . [ID: Abi stands on Waterloo Bridge on a sunny winter day, the Thames and the London skyline stretching out behind her]

My face when I read the news this morning 👆😒 I'm feeling screwed over and frankly, panicky 😞 If you're feeling that way too, remember: . ❤️ Self care is important. Recharge your batteries, go offline for a while, spend time doing totally unpolitical activities (if that's available to you). Your mental health is important so take good care 🤗 . 💪 There's more than one way to skin a cat. Bojo may be our PM, but that doesn't mean we're going to sit down and take his shit. Sign petitions, go to demonstrations, share news stories - anything you can do to stand up and say "no" is vital and important 👏 . 👭👬 Look out for each other. We're going to need to support one another now, more than ever. Choose kindness toward your friends, family, acquaintances, even strangers on the internet. Don't let hate win. . Young people have been screwed over again and again in Britain. We won't go down quietly. 😤 . #ukpolitics #ukelection #notmyprimeminister #brexit #britain #britishgirl #selfcare #mentalhealth #activism #protest

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