Thursday, September 5, 2013

Be Kind to Yourself!


So many of us find ourselves on a particular health kick at one point in our lives or another.  "I'm going to eat this way" or "I'm going to eliminate these foods."  While it's great to clean up one's eating habits, I want to encourage you all to take a less dogmatic approach and be kinder to yourself! 

Yes, eliminate gluten if you have Celiac disease.  Yes, swap flax seeds for chia seeds if chia seeds cause you violent stomach upset.  Yes, cut out peanuts if you're allergic, for crying out loud! But PLEASE try not to take an "all or nothing" approach to food just for the sake of doing what you think you should be doing.

So much of life is about pleasure and enjoying the things you truly love.  While I'm not encouraging gorging on your grandma's prize-winning triple chocolate cake every week you go to visit her, I am advising you--especially those of you who are so hard on yourselves--to lighten up a bit and practice some self kindness!

You are BEAUTIFUL! Your soul was put here to do amazing things and to make a difference in the world.  Acknowledge these things and treat yourself with kindness.  Fully embrace and love the soul that is YOU.

While this may sound radical to some, I invite you all to grant yourself a meal of kindness.  Order your very favorite dish (or make it) and dispel any thoughts of, "Oh, this isn't good for me" or "This isn't offering me any nutrients."  Just enjoy it and be present with your meal.  Take a break from the strict rules you've applied to your day-to-day way of eating, be it consciously or not, and loosen the reins!

Love fried chicken with buttery mashed potatoes? Then HAVE some and enjoy them entirely. Do you swoon over pistachio ice cream?  Order yourself some--make it a large, in fact!  The next day you can go back to eating however it was you were, but maybe you'll approach your habits differently.  Maybe you'll be a little kinder to yourself...who knows!

Tomorrow, though, PLEASE, grant yourself that favorite meal.  Don't critique or judge your choice and don't worry about its "healthiness."  Just enjoy!  You are a beautiful soul who was put here to do amazing things. You deserve to treat yourself with kindness, compassion and self love. Part of that is, most certainly, nourishing your physical body with healthy foods but it's also about relaxing a bit and indulging in your very favorite things from time to time by nourishing your soul!

Please share your comments and let me know what you indulged in and how the experience was~

With love, light and happiness,

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