Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got! Janis Joplin
Almost all of us have a distorted body image. Our culture has taught us that what lies on the 'exterior' is far more important than the 'interior'. Therefore, we are never enough and constantly try to achieve a certain weight, size or body shape.
Most of us live our lives with this silent war raging inside, continually trying to hit unrealistic benchmarks in our lives. We talk to ourselves like we NEVER would allow anyone else to. The things we say to ourselves are not nice and would do anyone irreparable harm. In fact, can you imagine speaking to a child that way? I doubt it. It's incomprehensible and almost makes you cry thinking about it. We know the profound wounding effect our words would have on the emotional and mental psyche of a child. Yet we are no different! So why do we continually do this to ourselves? Does it really motivate us to try harder? Or does it take us down a few notches and make us feel totally inadequate?
The body you have right now is miraculous! Think about how it never misses a heartbeat and performs the most complex daily functions that keep you alive everyday. It is forgiving and constantly sustaining you. It is for you not against you. It is your instrument, and through it you are able to express who you are in life. What tune is your instrument playing? Does it really express who you are and make you feel happy and fulfilled?
Recipe of the month: Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
2-3 limes
butter and salt, optional
Directions:
1. Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them whole, in their skins, at 375 until tender.
2.Wash and chop cilantro leaves.
3. When sweet potatoes are done, slit open the skin and place on serving plate. Season with salt and dots of butter, if you like, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over, and shower with cilantro leaves.
*used with permission from IIN.
More on being JUST YOU
As a recovered anorexic and bulimic, I know first hand what a distorted body image is all about. I spent a good portion of my life struggling with it. I was at war with myself and food was the enemy. Food and eating took up 90% percent of my time and energy. I was not present for myself or life and there was certainly no room for joy. I was either strategizing, starving or stuffing myself. It was all-consuming and had no boundaries.
Food is a very powerful drug. Whether we believe it or not, it affects our energy, mood and performance levels. And like any drug, the kind and dosage has the power to either heal or kill us. My real problem wasn't food though. It was my thoughts and my words. I never thought I was enough. I always wanted to be more and therefore could never just be me. My inner dialogue was so abusive that I started to starve myself. All I knew was that I hated the way I looked and felt, so I controlled my intake of food. I lost weight and myself. But like anything we do to an extreme, there is always a backlash. This kind of living was not sustainable and I ended up swinging just as hard to the other (extreme) side... bulimia.
It took a very long time to heal my body on all levels. When I think back to what I did to myself, I shutter. It is incomprehensible knowing who I am and what I know today. I am at the best and healthiest place I have ever been in my life. I have learned a whole new way of being and eating. 'Diet' is no longer a word in my vocabulary. It just doesn't exist. I don't 'diet'. My daily consumption of food and words is now a way of life for me. It is no longer a destination to a certain weight and size. Food is no longer the enemy but a form of nourishment. The art of being, cooking and eating is a powerful means that allows me to feel and be the best I can. When I am eating well and taking care of myself, I feel good. When I feel good, I have more energy, good thoughts, and perform better in every aspect of my life!
Although I would never want to go back to that space in my life, I am grateful for a few great miracles that have come out of it- a healthy and balanced me, a new lease on life, and my business, Interior Gardens. One of the most powerful things I have learned is that nothing is outside of us... it is always within us. There is no quick fix! The only way to create lasting change is to begin on the inside, always. That's why I am so passionate about what I do. I have discovered that when you are eating well, taking good care of yourself and getting the love and support you need, you are more apt to grow, go beyond your limits and create your own interior gardens. Then the inside will overflow to the outside and into every aspect of your life. In turn, your body becomes your true home, where you live, love and learn... and it becomes a really cool and beautiful place to be!
Amy Coughlin is a Certified Health Coach whose practice is designed to educate and empower individuals to take significant and preventative steps in their long-term health and wellness. Ultimatley, her education, coupled with her expertise in corporate training and recruitment, has inspired her to coach individuals and corporate groups in wellness education.
Take a look at my website: www.amysinteriorgardens.com and call to schedule a complimentary health history. You'll be glad you did!
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Comments: 3
And they are absolutely heavenly eaten cold. I bake several at one time, then refrigerate the leftovers and eat them as they call. YUM.