Demi Lovato Shared Her 'New Year’s Resolution' on Instagram, and It's One We Can Get Behind

In an Instagram post on Thursday, a swim suit-clad Demi Lovato shared that she’s focusing on her eating disorder recovery in 2018. In the caption, the singer wrote,

So, I’m insecure about my legs in this picture but I’m posting it because I look so happy and this year I’ve decided I’m letting go of my perfectionism and embracing freedom from self criticism. Learning to love my body the way it is is challenging but life changing. Giving up my eating disorder has been the most challenging journey of my life but I work every day towards solid recovery even if I mess up sometimes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdh2TJnlnWa/?hl=en&taken-by=ddlovato

This is the first time the singer has publicly addressed her eating disorder since opening up about her continued struggle with it in her YouTube documentary, “Simply Complicated,” released in October of 2017.

Though New Year’s resolutions can be tricky for people in eating disorder recovery, the message of letting go of perfectionism is an important one. This is something Mighty contributor Megan Hodge wrote about in her piece, “How Ditching Perfectionism Improved My Mental Health.”

I realize that my perfectionism and eating disorders programmed my mind to constantly evaluate myself, my body and my conversations, and pinpoint every single flaw or mistake… I wasn’t allowing myself any room for mistakes and it was clear I needed to address my inability to allow myself to be human.

This brings us to today… I no longer feel like a slave to my disorders and I am becoming more and more OK with myself when I make a mistake. Instead, I learn from my mistakes, take notes for the future, make amends if needed and continue to move forward. I recognize that I am not perfect, and that is perfectly OK.

No one’s mental health recovery is perfect, and it’s important that Demi continues to be open about her struggles and insecurities. At the end of her post, she acknowledged her fans who may be struggling with body image as well.

“Today I’m feeling strong. You all can do it too. It IS possible,” she wrote.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can call the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.

Screenshot via Demi Lovato Instagram