please help me

[sproutandthebean]

i have been a vegetarian for all of my 14 and a half years of existence. vegan since age 12. went raw in june and felt great! made an amazing spiritual/physical/mental transformation. felt more intelligent, capable. i have struggled with eating disorders and mental problems (ocd, insomnia, add, depression, anger) my entire life. i have always been relatively healthy, but raw helped me to lose 15 pounds, become toned, energised and finally happy among many other things. after a while i found myself eating a lot of dried fruit and nuts. decided to start eating cooked things again, which was a huge mistake. here i am, constantly depressed, uninspired, far from buddhism. unable to function. i want to be raw so desperately and find that i cannot stay on for longer than two days. my willpower is not strong yet. i need help because all i want and need in the world right now is to be raw. i am in such a horrible state and truly apologise for the brevity and strange composition of this message. can anyone share their experiences and send encouragement/positive energy? it is so greatly appreciated.

-lou

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome lou! I think you are amazing... you are 14? and you've been vegan for the first 12 years? You are so far ahead of the game you should be celebrating not stressing! You have given yourself a very firm foundation from which to build -- and your parents are to be commended for supporting you in this journey.

Sometimes when we do waiver and feel like we are so far away from our goals ... the best thing to do is actually... NOT look at the whole picture. Let me explain...

it's great to have goals and desires and know that's where you want to be eventually... but to look at the whole picture can sometimes be too overwhelming... so .. you simply take it one day at a time...

"Today - I'm going to be raw. That's all... just today. tomorrow I may choose to eat something else - but for today -- I'm going to eat raw."

or you could even make the goal smaller... "I will eat raw for this meal."

this makes your goals very do'able -- attainable.
you're not having to think... Oh lordie... I gotta stay raw for my entire life... or for 3 months... (or whatever!) (that's a lot to swallow!) so - when your goals are smaller... you've got lots of little victories to celebrate too... which is rawkin cool! and before you know it... you've made it past today, and tomorrow... and then before you know it -- a week has passed.... and you will continue to feel better and better...

You have done a lot of work already... you should be so proud of yourself!!

Its wonderful that you have found this forum... oh and btw -- there is a teen and young adult section here also -- you might really enjoy hooking up with that section and get some feedback from like minded folks your age...!!

good luck to you ... and seriously -- you're doin great! It's all a journey - and we all find our groove after a time... so keep on keepin on....

blessings on your journey!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/welcome.gif

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW..........Welcome to MY World.

[jacsam]

Starfire had some great advice for you....can I also add that you don't have to think of this as an all or nothing lifestyle. Celebrate that your on the path to what your wanting and enjoy the journey of getting there...learning is fun. I hope you've been able to enjoy Alissa's book, it really is wonderful.

[Time2bloom4me]

Your doing great. I have a teenage daughter about your age, who is eating mostly raw now.

She has been a vegetarian by choice since the age of three. Being raw can be challenging at your age.

She packs her raw lunches for school and shares them with her friends. Her friends think she is so lucky to have ice cream for breakfast or a smoothie, tacos, chocolate moose for lunch or apple pie, etc. I don't pressure her to eat raw, she does so by choice.

She is also open to eating some cooked foods. Depending on her mood, she eats what she likes. She so far has missed no school due to illness. Her friends think her meals are cool. It may be difficult to stay raw if you aren't making meals for yourself and are just eating dried nuts and fruit. Have you tried any recipies?

I have noticed her complexion is improving and her personality to be unusually cheerful for a teen.

Give yourself time and don't pressure yourself.

Best of luck to you.

[sproutandthebean]

thank you all very much for your lovely messages. at the moment i am refraining from all cooked food except lightly steamed veggies. living on bananas, apples, broccoli and squash. really trying to take this one day at a time, i am tired of feeling sick. beautiful wishes/spirits/energy to all of you.

[yamiam]

You must say to yourself
"I am really strong"
simply believe you can
and continue on

[Radiantly Raw]

Welcome! You are doing amazing! The advice that Starfire gave you is wonderful. I can only add this. Believe in yourself, take it one moment at a time, and do not entertain the thought of cooked foods. Say to yourself that you choose to make better decisions than that because you value your health. I do not crave cooked foods 99% of the time because of this simple piece of advice, which I got from Alissa. Just DO NOT entertain the thought. Move on, move forward, each moment. Best wishes Lou, I think you are incredible!!:D