The Food Police & Nurturing Yourself First
Amid my journey toward a healthier relationship with food, I’ve felt a sense of enlightenment. I discovered truths about nutrition, uncovered emotional ties to eating habits, and experienced personal transformations. With this newfound knowledge and growth, there came an urge to extend my wisdom to others, to share what I've learned in hopes of helping them make better food choices. But this somehow backfired! Join me as we delve deeper into this revelation and explore how it can illuminate your path.
Read more about My Quest to Healthier Me
The Food Police
As I unraveled my narratives around food and health, I came to realize a fundamental truth: My role isn't to be the rescuer or educator for others when it comes to their eating habits. No matter how well-intentioned my learning and sharing might be, my role is not to be the food police. Instead, I must prioritize self-care and self-love. I must lead by example.
Our journey toward healthier living begins with nurturing ourselves, both physically and emotionally. We learn to listen to our bodies, understand our cravings, and address the underlying emotional triggers behind our food choices. Through this process, we cultivate a profound sense of self-awareness and self-compassion, recognizing that our relationship with food reflects our broader relationship with ourselves - and as an extension our unconditional love for others.
Read more about The Radiant Power of Unconditional Love
Your Primary Responsibility: Nurturing Yourself
In embracing this journey of self-discovery and self-care, we come to understand that our primary responsibility is to take care of our health and well-being. We lead by example and maybe inspire others through our actions rather than our words.
That’s what I’m trying to do with my weekly blog post and newsletter (subscribe here) but also in my day-to-day life with my coaching clients, family, and friends.
And yes, not everybody might be open to learning or changing. Change is a deeply personal and individual journey. While our intentions may be rooted in love and compassion, we must respect that each person's relationship with food is unique.
We can't force our beliefs onto others, and we definitely shouldn't judge or pressure them into eating like us. By the way, you could replace the verb “eating” with anything else.
…living like us.
…believing like us.
…making money like us.
…raising their kids like us.
…spending their free time like us.
…prioritizing XYZ like us.
Judgment is often a Two-way Street
It's crucial to remember that no one needs unsolicited advice or criticism about their food choices. Just as it's not our job to push our views onto others, it's not cool for people to guilt-trip or shame those who are trying to eat healthier. When I went vegan a while back you won’t believe how much eye-rolling and comments I got. Social expectations can weigh heavy when you try to make conscious changes in your life. I tried to ignore those comments and move on.
True change comes from within, and it has to be on our terms, ideally free from outside pressure.
So, let's approach these convos with empathy and understanding. We're all on our own journey toward better health and toward our higher self (I know some people are not, and that’s fine), but we all need a little support along the way no matter where we are at or where our journey is taking us. By creating a safe, judgment-free space, we give room for growth and transformation to happen organically.
Here is an exercise for you
Take a moment to engage in this simple yet profound exercise aimed at enhancing your awareness of the unconscious pressures we often place on ourselves and others.
Ask yourself, how have I judged/coerced/or been hard on myself or others about choices around food or drinks? Maybe you recall a specific situation.
Challenge yourself to adopt a more compassionate and open-minded approach to food choices.
Set Intentions: Commit to approaching food and drink decisions of others with mindfulness, empathy, and acceptance.
The Takeaway
Our role isn't to give lectures or lessons but to live out self-love and compassion. As we navigate our own paths, we naturally become sources of inspiration, lighting the way to overall well-being for ourselves and those we care about.
Let’s lead with unconditional love, knowing that true change begins from within.