The process of adding back

Anorexia takes so much away. I have lost friends, family members, and even passions in the course of this disease. Some things, like playing the violin, I can't seem to reclaim just because I am constantly reminded of why I stopped playing. It's amazing how long you can live passionless, fulfilling just the barest minimum of requirements, after you have lived with anorexia. But I have come to believe that one of the most crucial aspects of recovery is focusing on adding to back to your life. Sometimes you can't go back to the way things were, but you can add new things, things you have never done before. I may not be able to play the violin again, but I would love to learn the guitar. I think that anorexia thrives on minimalism and asceticism, so prevent that by filling your life with new people, hobbies, or experiences. I have found that this indirectly weakens the hold of anorexia. You learn that you do deserve more, and that it's possible to be happy again.