I recently returned from a short trip to California where I was lucky to be surrounded by 500 of the most inspirational and empowered women on the planet. It was such beautiful food for the soul to be in this environment, and what I noticed about my time away was that when I feel inspired, when I feel completely ‘in the flow’ of the Universal energy, and when I am surrounded by like-minded beings, that I am also totally and naturally in tune with my body. I notice and am deeply aware of my feelings and my surroundings and I am far less inclined to overeat or experience cravings. I have also noticed that it takes far less effort to be consciously aware or mindful, because it just seems to happen naturally. I have seen the effect of this many times in my life before – I call it The Universal Flow Effect. I always wondered why my compulsions seemed to disappear when I was in it, but after studying Eating Psychology and going though my own healing journey, I understood why.
Our Eating & Body challenges are often an expression of untapped desire
Issues with Food and Body Image can be caused by one (or a number) of factors. A few of the more common ones are: denial of pleasure, excessive control, fear of intimacy or a lack of love & connection. They can also be an expression of untapped desire, where the truth of who we are, and what we are here to offer the world is suppressed or not recognised. I realise, looking back on my life, that my binge eating and emotional eating was in part due to a life of feeling unfulfilled – one where I chose to work myself to the bone in a corporate job that had no real meaning for me, where I wasn’t giving back to the world in any way, but rather taking away from it.
At some point, back in the late 90’s, I started asking the Universe (through affirmations) for a more meaningful life. I truly believe it was because of this that I have ended up where I am today, earning a great income doing what I love. I also believe that it was through this process of finding my truth, that I came to heal my relationship with food and my body. Because our eating issues and our weight are not the problem, even though we think they are. They are just, in fact, an expression of a deeper disharmony within ourselves – of us not being true to who we are.
What am I truly hungry for?
Even if we can’t live them, just getting in touch with our deepest desires is enough to create an increased sense of happiness and fulfilment in our daily lives. Start each day by asking yourself the question: ‘What do I truly desire in life?’ Journal a little everyday for a week around what comes up for you. Start visualising and bringing your desires to life. Start finding out what it is that you really want, and leave the rest to the Universe.
Each of us have our very own unique relationship with food, which is intimate & sometimes complicated.
If you’re ready to explore in more detail what this is for you, to understand more deeply your own drivers & triggers to unwanted behaviours and see clearly the possible avenues to change, then I’d like to offer you a free 30 minute Food Body Breakthrough session. There are 4-5 of these free slots available in my diary per month. If you’d like one, then email me at louise@louisejeffrey.com with the subject line ‘Discovery Session’
I hope this piece of the puzzle was helpful
With love
Louise