“Hold on…hold onto yourself…” ~Sarah McLachlan
It’s hard to allow ourselves to be guided from the inside. It seems almost natural to be influenced by external forces. How often do we determine whether we are tired by looking at the clock, instead of tuning into the fatigue? How often do we decide if we want a yummy dessert based on a mental calorie count, instead of asking ourselves if that dessert would satisfy us? How many days do we choose what to wear or how to feel based on the scale, instead of wearing the clothes we want to wear? And how often do we decide whether to share an uncomfortable emotion by gauging how it will be received, instead of just speaking our truth?
The list of external factors that influence us is long: the scale, food labels, clocks, magazine articles and images, diets, clothing sizes, weight charts, significant and insignificant others, upcoming events, medical professionals, and many more. As we respond to these outside forces, we lose touch with our internal power, our inner wisdom, which has an amazing ability to guide us through life.
Reconnecting with this inner wisdom requires [private_membership circle]combating the daily messages that encourage us to ignore what our bodies are telling us. It involves tuning in to what is needed and appropriately feeding our bodies, minds, and hearts. But reconnecting can feel risky because we may also have to stand up for ourselves, express an opinion, say “no,” and risk that others may disagree or even reject us. Sometimes it just feels easier to be passive and ignore an uncomfortable feeling or need. And in the short term, that can work. But eventually, our needs and wants will assert themselves in some way, often prompting us to feel inadequate, unloved, lost, and possibly even shut down and depressed.
At this point, we often ramp up our efforts to control our food intake or body size. And then we’re back to focusing on external factors! And our original unmet needs and wants remain, along with our uncomfortable feelings.
We do not need to allow external factors to steal our strength. We can build our internal power by surrounding ourselves with people who support us in honoring our signals to eat, rest, cry, laugh, and express the truth. We can seek out situations and environments that encourage us to listen and tune in to ourselves, being selective about what magazines we read, what shows we watch, what gym we go to, and how much diet talk we allow in our lives. As we combat the external oppression, our internal power grows. And as it grows, we can feel confident that our trustworthy inner wisdom will provide us with guidance and direction that is right for us.
Tip: Today, heighten your awareness of the signals of your body, mind, and heart. Listen. Feel. What messages arise? Hunger? Fatigue? Discomfort? Satisfaction? Trust this wisdom.
Affirming Statement: “I respectfully trust the messages of my body, mind, and heart.”
______________________________
Nutrition therapists Amy Tuttle, RD, LCSW and Karin Kratina, RD, PhD provide no-diet articles and resources including “Stay Attuned: The E-zine for Nourishing Connections” at their Nourishing Connections website. www.nourishingconnections.com
[/private_membership circle]
