Birthdays Feel Like Milestones in Eating Disorder Recovery

I turned 33 last week, and this occasion has me reflecting on how birthdays feel like milestones in eating disorder recovery. There was a time when I could not even fathom experiencing my 30s—I assumed that my life would be cut short by anorexia, and I was at peace with that. I had no interest in thinking about hopes for the future. I just wanted to shrink myself down as much as I could in the present. But now, birthdays feel like eating disorder milestones.

Back then, my focus was narrow and insular, with zero regard for the expansive new frontiers that healing could offer me. But I am not an apathetic shell of a human anymore. Now, I celebrate being alive on this planet with the enthusiasm it deserves. I can only speculate on what this next year will hold, but I am grateful for another birthday milestone in my eating disorder recovery.

Why I Consider Birthdays Milestones in Eating Disorder Recovery

Birthdays mark a passage of time. They commemorate all the experiences—whether routine or remarkable—that comprise an entire year of life. I view each birthday as another chapter in the story I am writing here on earth. I marvel at the lessons I embraced, setbacks I overcame, relationships I nurtured, pain I healed from, and transitions I embarked on. I also take inventory of the potential for growth in front of me. This is a keen reminder that life is never static.

Even during seasons when I feel restless or aimless, I am still a work in progress if I choose to brave the path forward. This sends a chill of excitement through me. Over the next year, will I be more compassionate and courageous? Will I reach new depths of authenticity? Will I cultivate inner peace, no matter the circumstances around me? Will I be generous with my time and resources? Will I unlock a true appreciation for this body I call home? What other attributes can I step into? Birthdays are invitations to acknowledge the person I have been and anticipate who I might become. In other words, birthdays feel like milestones in my eating disorder recovery.

Celebrating Birthdays as Milestones in Eating Disorder Recovery

As I remember all the interactions, transitions, and evolutions that took place in my life over the last year, I cannot help but celebrate this birthday as a milestone in my eating disorder recovery. Another trip around the sun is both a miracle and a privilege. Tomorrow has never been guaranteed, which makes each new year on earth more poignant than the last.

I realize birthdays can arouse complicated memories or emotions for some, and I will not minimize the validity of those experiences. I am merely sharing what is true for myself: I love to honor this passage of time with a celebration of growth and a reflection of the work ahead. Treating birthdays as milestones in eating disorder recovery feels like a spiritual—almost sacred—practice to me.