One question to ask yourself

Am I so consumed with how my body looks that I'm disconnected from how my body feels?

Journal on this - as you've begun your new years health goals (for those of you who have), I wonder, how much weighting are you giving to how this impacts your looks vs. how this impacts how you feel?  You might be thinking, lots of weighting on how I look, what's wrong with that? And of course, there's nothing wrong with wanting to change how you look, provided you make space for the recognition that sacrificing honouring your bodies needs, wants and signals will continue to disconnect you from your body. Disconnection is the source of stress, disordered eating and discomfort within your body. At ETPHD, we believe you can find a happy medium, but we must always be intentional with reconnection.
This question was inspired by Ailey Jolie.

Something to consider

Things don't come to us once we are ready, they tend to arrive early. Right when we are not sure of our capacity to fulfil them. And that's the acceptance of the challenge. The ability to trust ourselves to figure it out as we go. To navigate new waters and learn along the way - Amber Lyon

Journal on this - as 2024 begins to fill our cells more wholly, I encourage to consider what you're putting off, what you're holding off until the 'perfect time'. Or consider, maybe something has happened in life for you that doesn't feel like the perfect time, that you're resentful or fearful of. What are you waiting for, for the perfect time?

One thing I'd tell my younger self.

Your favourite people will one day be the people that allow themselves to fall apart. Allow yourself to be messy.

Claudia Winkleman inspired me this week, as she highlighted her love for mess over perfection, of those who fall apart instead of those aiming to be so tightly controlled in the hope of holding it together. I loved it. I love colourful, authentic, messy spontaneous joy and tears. I love it in my best friends. I love it when I allow it in myself. I wish I'd embraced this when I was 21 and avoided years of trying to be a tightly controlled, always positive, well-presented nice girl. It would have saved me a lot of pain, energy, disordered eating and given me a whole load more wholehearted joy.

One thing to try this week

Reconnect with your body.

As I anticipate many of you moving into externally driven rules, guidelines or 'shoulds' this January, I'd love you to take 2 minutes each day to reconnect with yourself. Here's 3 ways to do to:

• Interoception (bringing awareness to what's going on inside your body e.g. mindful breathing & being aware of being in your body)

• Proprioception (awareness of your body in motion e.g. when you're training noticing how it feels to move the weight with your body on the floor)

• Exteroception (awareness of sensations coming to us from outside the body e.g. naming one thing you smell, see, hear, taste & feel)

Our queen of somatics, Katie, has tons of practices for these on her page @katie_etphdcoaching so save a couple and try them this week

A few things to tell you...

Working on your relationship with food and struggling with people non stop diet talking? Listen to this

How do you build your career whilst also prioritising other things in life that you love? Find out here

One more thing...

Please share your favourite stuff.

Thank you all for continuing to share your favourite Monday email quotes. I see them all. I know how much I love seeing impactful quotes from strangers, so it means a lot that you allow me to hopefully be that person for someone else. f there's something you really relate to or know someone who'd benefit from something in this email, please share it and pay it forward. Words are magical, and if I've learned anything from writing these emails to you for years, you never know when someone needs to hear the exact thing you've got to say.