Orri’s community rocked their way into the Christmas period with our ‘Festive People’s Playlist’ on Spotify!
Each song listed on here was contributed by our wonderful clients, in hope to share support and build confidence in recovery for all who face this time of year, whilst trying to manage their eating disorder.
Headed by Nikki, Deputy Clinic Manager and Creative Arts Therapist, she shared her encouraging message of hope with each song over the holidays.
People with eating disorders may struggle connecting or understanding their feelings and emotions and so can face difficulty when sharing their experiences with others. That is when mediums, such as poetry, blogging or music, can be really helpful to help fill the gaps of what cannot be said. Instead, it can be heard, sung, hummed and shuffled on Spotify.
We invite you to listen to our clients’ Festive People’s Playlist on Spotify…
During the closing of 2021 and the welcoming of the new year, we absorbed the wisdom and words of our clinical team members. We hope they bring you encouragement for your recovery today.
Shared by Kendra, Head of Therapies and Occupational Therapist:
“Being strong doesn’t mean that you never break! Being strong means that even if you break into a million pieces, you still have the courage to pick those pieces up, put them back together, and keep going on.”When things feel too hard, and you feel like you have fallen off the recovery train this festive season, take a deep breath, lean into support, and practice compassion before you try it again. Courage comes from doing the things that often feel hardest – and it is in those small triumphs that we win!”
Paula, Orri’s Senior Dietitian shares:
“You’ve come too far to even think about going backwards!”
Our Occupational Therapist, Viktoriya…
“Put happiness out into world because this in turn will make you happy too. When you are generous your brain LIGHTS UP as if you, yourself, have been given something nice.”
Isobel, Lead Eating Disorder Associate, says:
“I am sharing a quote that I live by to you all. You’ve already survived 100% of your bad days!”
Remember, you really are stronger than you know. With every ‘no’ to the eating disorder you are saying a ‘yes’ to freedom and growth. May you feel empowered to make choices today that will set you free and may you hold yourself and your heart gently in the process with every step. Keep going.
‘It’s just a spark
But it’s enough to keep me going
And when it’s dark out, no one’s around
It keeps glowing’
Last Hope – Paramore
‘It takes a lifetime to become the best that we can be
We have not the time or the right to judge each other
And it’s one life, and there’s not return or no deposit
One life, so make sure you like what’s in your closet’
I Am What I Am – Gloria Gaynor
‘Now I’m better off without you
And I’ve never felt so free
‘Cause the person I was missing
It’s not you, it’s me.’
Better Off Without You – Becky Hill feat. Shift K3Y
‘You gotta swim
Swim when it hurts
The whole world is watching
You haven’t come this far
To fall off the earth
The currents will pull you
Away from your love
Just keep your head above’
Swim – Jack Mannequin
A member of our community shares their ‘why?’ behind this choice:
“The lyrics say ‘Swim for your family, your lovers, your sisters, your brothers, your friends’ because there are so many people who are here for me and believe in me so when I can’t do it for myself I can do it for them. ‘I swim for the brighter days, despite the absence of sun’, encourages me to keep going even when I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
‘I lived a dream
I hope to be
Who I believe in (I know)
I used to hate myself’
You Ain’t The Problem – Micheal Kiwanuka
‘Come now, come dry your eyes
You know you a star, you can touch the sky
I know that it’s hard but you have to try
If you need advice, let me simplify’
Good As Hell – Lizzo
‘Tomorrow is a new day for everyone
A brand new moon, brand new sun
So follow, follow the sun
The direction of the birds
The direction of love
Breathe, breathe in the air
Cherish this moment’
Follow the Sun – Xavier Rudd
‘No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten’
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
‘Hey, I wanna get better!
I didn’t know I was lonely ’til I saw your face
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better
I didn’t know I was broken ’til i wanted to change
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better’
I Wanna Get Better – Bleachers
Our community member shared their reason for this song:
“Because when I was in my ED I didn’t realise how bad it was and how much I wanted ‘get better’ until I started committing to recovery.”
‘Oh I said I had been away, and he knew
Oh he knew, the depths I was meanin’
And it felt so good to see his face
All the comfort invested in my soul
Oh to feel the warmth, of a smile
When he said “I’m happy to have you home”
Oh oh, “I’m happy to have you home”
Oh, yeah
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong’
Keep Your Head Up – Ben Howard and Birdy
The Orri member who chose this song to share said:
“I like the line ‘Hold tight you’re slowly coming back to life’ because I feel like it sums up the whole of my recovery journey and reminds me how much of my life and personality I have already got back from ‘keeping my head up’.”
‘If you’re lost and alone or you’re sinkin’ like a stone
Carry on
May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground, and
Carry on’
Carry On – Fun
The ‘why’ for this song choice below:
“I like the line ‘if you’re lost and alone and you’re sinking like a stone, carry on’ because it reminds me to keep pushing through even when I’m struggling and that’s where the real progress is made. It also sends the message not to dwell on the past so to me this means I should stop reminiscing on my sick body and my life then, and to look forwards.”
As we round up the songs of hope shared by our fantastic community, we want to share Nikki’s words of support:
“Over the past 10 days we have heard a daily example of people’s ‘why?’ behind their song choices, and how we can use these to support us to stay connected to each other, connected to hope, and ultimately your recoveries. So Orri Community, I invite you all to collectively reconnect to your ‘why?’ for recovery today. My hope is that this playlist lives on and that it will continue to be a space that holds hope for the ‘why’ in the moments that you feel you are losing touch or at a loss for words. Let these songs hold it for you, and as always, Orri continues to hold bucket loads of hope for you all, today and always.”
You can read more about 2021’s Christmas playlist of hope in our blog.
You can also listen to Orri’s “People’s Playlist” from last year.
