What Inspires You? Take Action.

I've decided to piggyback another blog by Karen Koenig and expand on her thoughts. Karen is a psychotherapist, educator, writer and speaker in the disordered eating field. The specific blog entry that caught my eye is entitled "Self Empowerment". To read, click http://www.eatingdisordersblogs.com/healthy/

To sum it up: Do something outside dieting and exercising to mend your relationship with your body and food. Karen uses the example to do something politically - if the election has your blood boiling, get involved, use your voice, it counts. I say - whether it's something political, or career-wise, or a creative outlet - dig deeper in those areas to feed your appetite for life!

I wrote Karen, and here's a sample of my feedback to her. I thought I might as well share it with you too:

Since the drama of this presidential (and vice presidential!) election has heightened over the last few months, I've found myself feeling waves of frustration, confusion, anger and excitement! Like you suggested, Karen, mending a complex mind/food/spirit/body relationship takes time, yet taking action outside of food/dieting plays a HUGE part in naturally killing the body wars.

Besides being aware of my intense feelings regarding this '08 election (and remembering to breathe and listening calmly to other perspectives than my own), getting involved with my own interests and taking my heart's yearnings seriously over the past two-three years have proven to keep mending my own relationship to food.

After struggling with overeating, dieting, and overexercising since I was age nine or ten, I finally sought therapy - I was working in the tv news industry - miserable and stressed but didn't know I wanted more - more goodness, more peace, more creativity, more voice, more freedom. Then, I quit the news biz and got a job in pharma sales and screamed everyday inside against the money-harboring pharmaceutical industry. With the help of my therapeutic journey, I was fed up enough to quit that job too and created my own company to help others find peace and connection within their bodies (something I'd already been doing part-time).

While I practice what I preach, I am human and still have feelings and cravings and yearnings. I'm not immune to society's pressure-for-perfection - I am a sensitive person who feels a lot! But, everyday offers the opportunity and blessing to honor my needs and wants and dreams. I can choose to take care of myself versus resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms. What a beautiful journey to continue learning about myself while helping others connect - to continue helping them dig deeper to realize the vastness of their appetites beyond diet/exercise Bandaids.

What is it you want? What makes your blood boil? What do you enjoy so much that you barely notice time passing? What do you yearn for? Give yourself the chance to brainstorm, dream, write. Then, go for it.

“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dareto dream of meeting your heart’s longing.” ~ Oriah, The Invitation