I've been battling gnarly plantar fasciitis for about a month now and finally decided to take a week off high impact activity. (I highly recommend this, listening to your body is crucial, y'all.) I've been hiking up to the gym, nonetheless, spinning away on the recumbent bike, lifting weights, and working on core. It's been swell. Today, however, I walked in the gym, spent thirty extraordinarily frustrating minutes on the recumbent bike and made my way over to do core. I was sitting there after only one set, uninspired, tired, and wanted nothing mre than to say "fuck it" and go home. But ED came around and said, "it's the 4th of July, you're going to be drinking today, you NEED to finish this workout, think about the calories" among other things that I won't type out (for the sake of preventing triggers).
So I got up, put my equipment away, and went home.
Today is the day that I declare independence from ED.
ED takes many forms, and not just in those of us that have been diagnosed with eating disorders. ED terrorizes the 97% of women that have an "I hate my body moment every day." ED terrorizes men who feel that they need to demonstrate masculinity through muscularity. ED is the son of a bitch who tells you that you're not good enough to get that promotion, apply for that job, get up on stage, whatever. ED prevents you from being authentically you, from achieving your dreams, from living your life as you imagined.
Declare your independence from whatever ED is to you. It's not easy, and writing out your declaration won't make everything magically better - but there is power in asserting your own self worth - and you are worth it.
The Declaration of Colleen Daly,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for a strong-ass-woman to dissolve the physical and emotional abuse which have connected them with ED, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the confidence and self-efficacy to which the laws of feminism and humanity entitle her, a decent respect to the opinions of herself (and no one else) require that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
I hold this truth to be self evident, that every person (including myself) has inherent and innate worth simply for being human. I am entitled certain unalienable rights, among these are life, intuition, and the pursuit of genuine happiness.
I have suffered impatiently, but the tyranny of ED, his repeated injuries and usurpations and the absolute tyranny he bears over my life, cause for certain facts be submitted to a candid world.
- He has degraded my sense of self worth - causing me to value my appearance over my kindness, intelligence, or compassion
- He has unjustly consumed my time, dominated my thoughts, and controlled my actions
- He has detracted from my interactions with others, and prioritized his own demands over the needs of my friends
- He has caused me to love myself and others less than I/they deserve
- He has, generally speaking, been a complete asshole. (If that was in the real declaration of independence it would have been so much better.)
In every stage of these Oppressions I have Petitioned for Redress in not-so-humble terms: my repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. ED, who has acted in the ways of a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a strong-ass-independent Woman.
I, therefore, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the inherent and innate worth that I bear happily publish and declare, That I am free of the imposition of shame, isolation, and hindrances and am absolved from all bonds and allegiances to ED, and that all the bullshit manifested in our relationship; and that as free strong-ass-independent woman, I have full power to live my life to the fullest, love others, love myself, exercise out of self-love, eat ice cream, go out with friends, wear short shorts, take days off, respect and honor my body, go dancing, sing loudly, shower myself and others with respect, and other Acts and Things which strong-ass-independent women may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the continued assertion of my own self worth, I declare that I am worthy of love and compassion, especially from myself.
Signed, Colleen Daly
Happy 'Murica Day Y'all.
So I got up, put my equipment away, and went home.
Today is the day that I declare independence from ED.
ED takes many forms, and not just in those of us that have been diagnosed with eating disorders. ED terrorizes the 97% of women that have an "I hate my body moment every day." ED terrorizes men who feel that they need to demonstrate masculinity through muscularity. ED is the son of a bitch who tells you that you're not good enough to get that promotion, apply for that job, get up on stage, whatever. ED prevents you from being authentically you, from achieving your dreams, from living your life as you imagined.
Declare your independence from whatever ED is to you. It's not easy, and writing out your declaration won't make everything magically better - but there is power in asserting your own self worth - and you are worth it.
The Declaration of Colleen Daly,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for a strong-ass-woman to dissolve the physical and emotional abuse which have connected them with ED, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the confidence and self-efficacy to which the laws of feminism and humanity entitle her, a decent respect to the opinions of herself (and no one else) require that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
I hold this truth to be self evident, that every person (including myself) has inherent and innate worth simply for being human. I am entitled certain unalienable rights, among these are life, intuition, and the pursuit of genuine happiness.
I have suffered impatiently, but the tyranny of ED, his repeated injuries and usurpations and the absolute tyranny he bears over my life, cause for certain facts be submitted to a candid world.
- He has degraded my sense of self worth - causing me to value my appearance over my kindness, intelligence, or compassion
- He has unjustly consumed my time, dominated my thoughts, and controlled my actions
- He has detracted from my interactions with others, and prioritized his own demands over the needs of my friends
- He has caused me to love myself and others less than I/they deserve
- He has, generally speaking, been a complete asshole. (If that was in the real declaration of independence it would have been so much better.)
In every stage of these Oppressions I have Petitioned for Redress in not-so-humble terms: my repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. ED, who has acted in the ways of a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a strong-ass-independent Woman.
I, therefore, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the inherent and innate worth that I bear happily publish and declare, That I am free of the imposition of shame, isolation, and hindrances and am absolved from all bonds and allegiances to ED, and that all the bullshit manifested in our relationship; and that as free strong-ass-independent woman, I have full power to live my life to the fullest, love others, love myself, exercise out of self-love, eat ice cream, go out with friends, wear short shorts, take days off, respect and honor my body, go dancing, sing loudly, shower myself and others with respect, and other Acts and Things which strong-ass-independent women may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the continued assertion of my own self worth, I declare that I am worthy of love and compassion, especially from myself.
Signed, Colleen Daly
Happy 'Murica Day Y'all.