One question to ask yourself

 I wonder why I might have done that?

Curiosity > shame and frustration. You can replace 'I' with 'they' (although it is certainly not our place to analyse others behaviours, it may support us with taking a more compassionate role within that relationship). Overeating, overworking, texting the ex, losing your shit at them, holding off paying the bill until the last minute, avoiding texting them back.... Out of interest, why might you have done that? No judgement, no expectations. 

Something to consider

"You don't have to fully accept your aesthetic to heal the sorrow inside your skin" - Ailey Jolie

There's this belief especially in fitness that if you find acceptance with how you look then you'll be in this peaceful place and 'heal' your body image and the problem with this narrative is that you keep fighting to find acceptance with how you look, holding off allowing the peace that can come with truly coming home to yourself, connecting with yourself. This reconnection with yourself is a fundamental component of feeling safe in your body, honouring its needs (hunger, fullness, rest, connection) and healing your relationship with food. This healing cannot wait for you to fully accept the way you look, and why should it, if it is not dependent on it? PS If you don't already follow Ailey, why not, you'll find her @aileyjolie

One thing I'd tell my younger self.

Make peace will all the women (men, or other) you once were

A huge part of the work with do at ETPHD is supporting our clients to remove shame from their behaviours, but more so, to befriend them. Let's take binge eating for example, a key source of shame for many of you. This shame perpetuates the secrecy, the cycle of repetition. But that binge eating part of you, it serves a purpose, it protects you in some way, from hard feelings, from a body that feels unsafe, in another way. Much of your healing will come from the acceptance that the behaviours of younger you served you in some way, that you were doing the best you could, from where you were. Honour those parts of yourself, forgive those parts of yourself, as Emory Hall reminds us, they are the rivers of wisdom of leading you towards the sea.

One thing to try this week

Sit still, breathe deeply & be still for 2 minutes 

Set a timer. Do it now. Do it each morning this week. Maybe even throughout your day. Notice the change in sensations in your body, in your mind (but only after the 2 minutes is up).

A few things to tell you...

FREE MEDITATION - if you're someone who struggles with rest, here's a meditation I made just for you 

The next binge breakthrough is opening its doors soon. This 8 week group programme always sells out - you need to be on the priority list for full details, get on that list here

Is diary inflammatory? Should you train your pelvic floor even if you're not preggo? Find out here

This ETPHD mentoring podcast got a lot of feedback at the back end of last week - lots of you told me it was you, so if you haven't heard it, take a listen here (TLDR: perfectionism is ruining your success)

Is it ok to train fasted? Is insulin resistance the reason for your fat loss struggles? How do you coach people through that? Listen here

Remember I told you I got told off by Lynn? Listen to it here (as well as many many TTC myths that made us lol)

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.