Willingness

Willingness is doing just what is needed in a given situation, acting from the wisdom of your intuition, and bringing awareness to what’s going on inside and outside of yourself so that you can choose what will be most effective for you in the moment. A willing posture is a necessary component of recovery. Willingness is the opposite of willfulness, which is being stubborn, rigid, and refusing to do what is needed in a given situation. The group tonight showed tremendous willingness in various ways.

One member showed a willingness to get back on track with recovery after a few slip ups, despite her feelings of fear and frustration. A few others expressed a willingness to take better care of themselves, instead of allowing life’s stress, busyness and distraction to make them more vulnerable to their eating disorder. Another expressed an attitude of self-advocacy and assertiveness by standing up for herself and speaking her voice despite possible reactions from others. The issue of intimacy came up for one member and everyone else resonated with the fear that comes with getting closer to another person. However, she showed willingness to become aware of this fear as a trigger for her ED and she displayed courage to possibly take the risk to move toward intimacy in her relationships. Compassion is a recurring theme in the group, and tonight the group was open to allowing compassion for themselves, despite their struggles.

The willingness of this group to be real, to encourage one another, and to take the necessary steps for their own recovery continues to lead them forward on their journey. May we all learn how to be more willing to do what’s most effective for us today, so that we can continue to grow into the person we desire to become.