Charlene is a journey of mindful health and self-care
Posted on 01/20/2013 @ 5:20 PM
I found Am I Hungry? about 4 months ago. The insights I’ve gained in those 4 months are remarkable. I finally understand what a healthy relationship with food really looks like. I’m erasing years of faulty images, self-talk, and eating habits. As Dr. May points out, it feels a bit like learning to drive a car or ride a bike. Similar to learning to ride a bike as a young girl, I lose my balance regularly, but I’ve also experienced that “sweet spot” for periods of time and now know that it is genuinely possible. And when I’m in that spot, there is a sense of “all is right.” There are no outside experts telling me what to do or how to eat. Rather, there are my own natural hunger rhythms guiding the way. As a fairly new “bike rider” I’m still challenged by those bumps in the road, but I’m beginning to recognize them, and learning to respond. Stress is still my biggest “pot hole” and applying mindfulness to all areas of my life is making a huge difference in navigating around and through it. What is key, and different than before, is that I don’t expect perfection. It’s not about trying harder. It’s about applying self-kindness during those times, as Dr. May suggests, and getting back on the bike to continue pedaling. Just pick up where I left off and keep going. There may be diversions on this journey, but there is no going back, because it isn’t about arriving at one particular destination, it is about an ongoing journey of a lifetime. The future looks far too bright, and the scenery along the way is far too exquisite to ever give up.
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