I didn’t choose to wake up one day and have Anorexia Nervosa. It was never about food or body image, it was about the lack of love, nurturing and protection that I didn’t receive throughout an abusive childhood. It was the suffering I endured, and I was stuck in a vicious cycle of self-destruction.

Anorexia nervosa was the path of ultimate self-destruction. It took over my entire world, was my own private hell. I surrendered my power to “The Devil”, this force that controlled my being and ruled every aspect of my life.

The years of pain and starvation left me in debilitating pain, immobile, with a long list of chronic illnesses. I lost my independence. I was told by the medical professionals that my conditions were irreversible and that I wouldn’t be able to walk again; that by the age of 25 I’d be in a wheelchair permanently.

I hit an all-time low in my life, but this time it was different. Something had shifted within me, and I wanted to prove to myself that I had the power to overcome everything I had been through. I wanted to love and nurture myself. I wanted to feel worthy, and I wanted to find my purpose here; to be of service to others.

So, I began a new journey. A journey of forgiveness, of self-compassion, of nurturing, of rediscovery. The journey of choosing myself; of choosing recovery. When I decided enough was enough; when I became so sick and tired of being sick and tired and started making positive changes, my transformation was rapid. I reached a healthy weight, my body systems and organs began to regenerate, food and body image was something I no longer obsessed and dwelled over, and the anorexia devil disappeared. I became more confident. I no longer lived as a victim and held onto my past. I was walking again, and my chronic pain had substantially decreased. My anxiety was non-existent and for the first time in my life I finally felt free; I felt reconnected.

I no longer feared anything that life threw at me. I realised that holding a positive attitude in life gave me power over my circumstances, instead of my circumstances having power over me. By acknowledging the good that was already in my life, this was the foundation for me to end the struggle. My pain was no longer a negative; pain was my PURPOSE. I was becoming more aware of who I truly was. I realised that this journey called “life” was a discovery of myself. Connecting back to myself and my power. That every experience I had, led me to discovering more of who I truly am. I shed the old, outdated layers of conditioning and beliefs and healed the trauma, breaking free from all that no longer served me.

My passion for knowledge and holistic health and wellbeing, led me on a path to become a qualified Intuitive Eating Mindful Nutrition coach. I started my own coaching business and have successfully helped women between the ages of 16-50 who suffer with eating disorders, disordered eating, body image issues and trauma, learn to love and accept themselves fully and unapologetically. Healing their relationship with themselves, their past, their bodies and food. I am immensely passionate about helping women heal. To reconnect them back to themselves so that they can truly discover who they are beyond the identity of their eating disorder.

My intention for sharing my story is to give sufferers HOPE. To insure they feel SEEN and most importantly UNDERSTOOD. I want them to know they are not alone, and that RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE. That they are worthy of it, despite the medical bias they might face out there, with eating disorder being so misunderstood. I want to teach, to educate, to inform, to be of service. I know I endured what I did to connect with people on a deeper level of empathy.

I knew this when I was suffering. I remember telling myself, “One day I will be recovered, and I will help others recover. This is my dream.” And my dream has manifested into my reality, and to be able to give back is true fulfilment and success in my heart and soul. Nothing else matters more to me in this world than helping other women live happy, fulfilling lives, unafraid to be who they truly are without judgment, fear or criticism. It’s what gets me out of bed each morning, knowing that my story can help save even one person’s life and inspire and empower many others.

Looking back 10years ago I would never have imagined that any of this was even possible. I was able to completely transform my life and now here I am, gifting others with the ability to transform their lives. To be where I am today demonstrates the infinite power of the human spirit, mind, body and soul.

So, my message to anyone is to NEVER GIVE UP! Keep believing and investing in yourself, your happiness and your dreams. You are worthy of taking up space in this world. You matter. Your voice matters. Your existence matters! Never let ANYONE make you think or feel otherwise, especially YOURSELF!!

Contributed by Sammie