As I step into my home office and sit at the computer, I take a bite of a chocolate covered dried cherry. Mmm good.
The sweetness, the flavor, the creamy melting chocolate in my mouth is something to be savored. The tartness of the cherry permeates through the flavor of the chocolate. The blend is very pleasing to me.
My husband gets me these from the bins at ‘Whole Foods’. The first time I had the pleasure of biting into one and experiencing the contrasting flavors and textures was in beautiful Palm Springs, California, United States.
It took us awhile to find them here, but find them we did. I enjoy them often. I will have 2-6 daily and then do without them for a while. It certainly is a treat and a pleasure that I allow and enjoy completely.
Which brings me to food that we eat and how we choose to eat it… Hmm.
There are plenty of tasty and wonderful foods to enjoy guilt-free. There are certainly a plentitude of foods to eat that could inspire guilt and, while pleasurable, are not as wholly enjoyable because the nutrition value is on the low side.
Just what if I chose to eat foods that I know are not the most nutritious but give me comfort and pleasure without allowing/accepting/creating any guilt. What if, in eating in this manner, my body digests them more easily and responds differently to them; more ‘favorably’ so to speak. Ha!
Can I choose to enjoy what I eat especially if I’m going to choose to eat it anyway. Can I disengage, dissipate and/or not allow guilt when I choose to eat something that is not on my guilt-free pleasure list… Can I allow it to be added to this list from time to time…
If I allow myself a healthy balance to eat between what is totally good for my body and what my tastebuds and my comfort ‘compass’ finds joy in eating, is this enough; is this an option and/or good answer for me…
I suppose it does depend on the goal. If my goal is to be a body builder and be as lean and muscular as possible, balance must weigh on the protein and nourishment side. If I want to lose weight, the balance must point to the less calories side. If I want to maintain my health, then I want to nourish my body and stay within a certain caloric, protein, fat and carbohydrate range. I mostly always want to enjoy, from time to time, something that completely and thoroughly is a gift to all my senses.
Just what if you would allow yourself to completely and thoroughly enjoy something to eat that is not the best choice for you within your goal(s). I’m not talking about freedom to always and daily eat whatever it is that satisfies only the taste buds, mind and soothes our comfort level. But, if and when you do choose something that is completely unhelpful to your current goal – you are going to eat it anyway – I say enjoy, savor it and allow yourself to totally eat it guilt-free.
Get back to eating what supports you to feel strong, healthy and energized. Let the balance meter point to these foods mostly. However, when you have an urge or an irresistible inkling to eat something just for the joy of it, may you give yourself total permission to get your joy on guilt-free.
May you find the balance that works best for you. The balance that you know that you can live with for the rest of your life. The balance that maintains and/or reaches goals that you find yourself wanting to reach from time to time.
Just maybe it doesn’t have to be hard. Even with food, perhaps, we can meet ourselves where we are and love ourselves through. If you are going to eat something that is detrimental, ask yourself – will you feel better or worse after you eat this. Most likely you know the answer. Be truthful. If your answer is ‘worse’, love yourself greatly and choose to not eat it in that moment.
Just sometimes, we do feel better to eat something and isn’t our overall goal in life to feel happy, good, kindness, whole and fulfilled. Maybe we don’t have to be so rigid to achieve/allow/live in contentment. Maybe it doesn’t have to be so hard. Maybe our belief in it being easy will make it be so; or easier anyway.
What do you say to yourself now – can you promise yourself to love yourself through, be easy on yourself, know gentleness and through this – create the body, health and stamina that you want to create. The you that you want to and know you can be, perhaps, can and will come from this ease and kindness.
May you get your body and mind to work together to create enjoyment – working with the truth and correct information regarding food; and working with the truth of yourself to accomplish the life you wish to experience going forward. May you feel what it feels like for it to be one of joy, flavor, adventure, learning, lessons; knowing fulfillment and feeling good within one’s own body.
“You know you got it if it makes you feel good”. You are the only one that experiences you like you do. It is your job; your responsibility; your prerogative to feel, create and grow into your most fulfilled and very best version of you.
Everything you need to accomplish this you were born with. Only you. There is no other like you. Be YOU. ‘Every one else is taken’.
Be true and loving to you. Be mindful. Be kind. Use the kindest words you know to talk to yourself and to know, feel, believe and be the grandest version of you.
Be your own ‘candy’. Empower yourself through the sweetest version of you.
I think this is what takes us the furthest, the quickest and in the most enjoyable way. Sweet doesn’t mean a ‘wimp’ that you walk all over. Sweet doesn’t mean give in always. Sweet doesn’t mean do not say no.
Sweet means encourage yourself through pleasurable, kind and knowledgable ways.
May you experience the grandness of you from the sweetest part of yourself.
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. May you choose to be your own best friend!
I believe in you.
May you believe in you.
Today is your day if you want it to be so. May you be ready to move mountains and enjoy it!
