Awesome human being
Oct 5, 2020
How many times have you read an article that told you the exact way that you are supposed to eat? Who has told you the way that you need to be moving in order to burn fat or to gain muscle or to lessen certain disease risks? Can you recite the recommended portion sizes for certain kinds of foods? These are all examples of external factors that guide (or tell?) us how we “should” live our lives. I’m suggesting living life in a different way to value you as an awesome human being…
What is the problem with relying on external rules or guidelines?
Two things. First, we are all awesome human beings, ie individuals, that need a variety of different things. When an external source dictates our needs, they are often wrong. Which brings us to the second reason that rules from outside of ourselves can be harmful – they can create judgment, shame, and guilt when we can’t seem to find ‘success’ when following those rules. That’s because they weren’t made for all of us! Our metabolism, blood type, in utero conditions, ancestral traumas, birth experience, childhood events, chemical, and medication exposures all make us who we are, uniquely different from each other.
What if you relied more on your internal cues, trusted that you are awesome? What would it take for you to hear them more clearly? What would they sound like? How do you know if they are true or you?
How to hear your internal clues more clearly, trusted that you are awesome?
If you stop and think about when you internally know things, think about what you were feeling at the time. Stressed or calm? Overtired or well-rested? Deprived or well nourished? Living in ways that give our nervous system safety supports being able to hear what it needs.
What may your internal cues sound like?
Learning to tell how tense your shoulders are or how clearly you are able to think are examples of internal cues that can help to guide choices. In the food relationship world, we’ll often explore the level that you experience your hunger on a scale of 0 to 10. That’s another example of internal cues – the sensation of stomach emptiness/fullness, energy as it relates to food intake, mood as it relates to your need for food…
How to know if this information is true for you?
Start paying attention to yourself throughout each day and see what you can learn! Practice mindfulness to encourage your authentic self to shine through the external layers…
What if you relied more on your internal cues?
You could learn to trust what your body tells you. You could learn how your individual body gives you information – do you get thoughts/ ideas in your head, a felt sense in your gut, or a vague guide… You could feel firsthand the amazing built-in wisdom that your unique being holds 🙂