Learning from my own inner experience was ultimately the only thing
that worked to bring me into a healthy relationship with sugar.
Not books, not scary statistics, not “challenges”, not self-judgment.
Not even getting caught stuffing cake into my face.
I wish I’d known this years ago because
I could have healed my sugar addiction many years sooner.
A theme I notice among many women is this idea that we have
to do food perfectly, have things all nice and balanced
and figured out.
I once believed this too.
I thought I should eat the right things, or follow
someone else who’s (seemingly) thriving on a particular diet,
or that I should start eating none of this or a lot of that.
I thought, “I don’t know enough.
Let me read just one more book, let me hang out
on this cool new nutrition site.
Then maybe I’ll know enough.”
I’m not knocking any of these, and I actually love them.
There’s a giant problem with this thinking, though.
The difference between me 24 years ago and me now
is that I’m no longer looking at (even really great)
evidence-based resources
as a way to inform myself deeply about how I want to
create a healthy relationship with eating.
For me, this was an inside job.
It has proven to be for 100% of my clients as well.
I already “knew” enough…and
I wish I’d had the tools to recognize this years ago.
You probably already know enough too.
Most of the women I work with do.
We’re a pretty nutritionally aware bunch.
It’s a huge relief to give ourselves permission to stop.
the endless searching, reading, and hand wringing.
Instead, most of us will gain tremendous benefit and power when we
work to strengthen two related main muscles –
Self awareness and self-trust.
These tend to dance together, as in
“This is how I feel right now.” Self-awareness.
“And I trust that this is my authentic experience of XYZ.” Self-trust.
No discounting, no marginalizing, no analyzing.
This means:
1) Being committed to listening to yourself as deeply as you
would listen to a fascinating new lover, your best friend
or your troubled child.
2) Learning the unique language of yourself –
what your emotions are actually trying to tell you about
what you need right now.
Consider getting some help with this if you need it; most of us
are too close to the re-cycling of the stories in our “mind monkey”
head to get enough distance (and therefore clarity)
through this forest on our own.
Part of my job is to help women de-code their own emotional
“signature” and to understand what
it means to trust their biology, to trust life,
and to trust their instincts.
When we bypass our own wisdom and give more value
to an expert, a study or a book, we miss something incredible.
We miss out on the beautiful world of exploring what’s
right IN us and what’s right FOR us.
We miss learning how to stand in the truth of that.
And this takes a little time, because
true, sustainable change invites us into
an honest conversation with all of who we are.
But once you’ve spent some focused time in an environment
where you feel deeply supported, and learned about yourself
and your relationship with food, you’ve got it.
You will begin to embody it.
You’ll trust that you’ve got the tools you need
to sustain being your own inner expert now.
You’ll understand and honor your own unique language
as you move forward in your life with clarity,
with ease and with joy.
Here’s to your deep health and happiness,
XO,
Marina