Lessons Learned from a Mug of Hot Chocolate

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope the past few weeks have offered you moments of rest and relaxation, and that 2021 has been kind to you so far (although let’s be real, 2021 has already been off to an eventful and somewhat tumultuous start). I spent a lot of time over the past few weeks trying to enjoy celebration and tradition in the much more toned down fashion of 2020, as I am sure most of you experienced as well. At times it didn’t even feel much like a holiday season and I am sure others felt this way too. Something small that really helped me to feel more celebratory and seasonal were mugs and mugs of delicious hot chocolate! Over the course of my days enjoying the warm beverage, it started to dawn on me how something as small seeming as a cup of hot chocolate really illuminates the beauty of food freedom. If you are still struggling with this, Perhaps try having a fear food at home so you are in the comfort of your own enviornment and pick a type of food or drink that may feel a bit more safe to you. Consider what factors may be helpful to your before, during, and after you challenge a fear food. These mugs of hot chocolate can also help to clarify true food preferences versus external rules set forth by diet culture. For example, my ideal cup of cocoa is made with milk (and yes I do have a preference on the milk fat percentage of that as well); whipped cream over marshmallows; and a darker chocolate mix if available. Your cup may be totally different – perhaps made with water or half and half, or perhaps you’re #teammarshmallow through and through. Either way - reflecting on this can be really helpful to revisit YOUR food preferences, not your eating disorder's.

So let us cheers with a mug of whatever your ideal beverage is - to a safe and healthy 2021! See ya next time!