During my Pilates class this week, we did some exercises that were particularly HARD – as in 4-letter word hard.

I noticed myself wanting to check out of my body and watch from the sidelines to cope with the intensity and discomfort, so I could just push through.

But instead of popping out of my body and observing from a safe distance, I chose to stay.

As uncomfortable as it was, I chose to feel it.

As difficult as it was, I chose to find my resilience and breathe through it.

As hard as it was to do, I stayed with my body instead of abandoning her.

This felt like a victory to me because at a young age, I learned to leave my body when things felt scary, or when my body hurt – and then I got stuck there for many years.

Young Alicia did such a great job of protecting herself. I’m here today because of all she did.

She knew how to check out when things got too intense, and she also knew how to get back in when things were safe again.

Eating was one of the ways the young me learned to do both.

Being in a body can be a painful place to be.

There are some life experiences that are so overwhelming that it feels safer – wiser, even – to protect ourselves and avoid fully feeling our feelings.

Whether we’re young, or adults, we’re all learning how to be in a body, feel our feelings, and respond to our needs in the best ways that we know how.

Eating is a fast, powerful, and accessible way to change how we feel, whether it’s to numb out, or shift our mood, or self-soothe.

It’s also a very effective way to help us get back into our bodies after we’ve checked out.

For many women, staying stuck in a pattern of checking out and trying to get back in, often using food to do both, is a daily way of living.

If you ever eat to change how you’re feeling, I want to assure you you’re not the only one.

Using food to feel better is a very wise and effective way to cope.

It can be incredibly self-honoring to disembody and protect – especially when you’re young and you don’t yet have the skills to handle all that life can bring

But as we get older, it’s even more self-honoring to create a life you no longer have to protect yourself from.

A life where it’s safe and enjoyable to be fully IN your body.

A life that’s free from any a$$hole that has or could pressure, threaten, or frighten you.

A life where peace reigns supreme, and you’re free to be your unguarded, magnificent self.

Honestly, we disembody and emotionally eat for many, many reasons.

It’s time to stop judging and berating yourself for it – that only makes things worse.

Why not get curious about it, instead? Become a detective and learn about what makes you want to disembody.

Instead of feeling like your eating is out of control, what if you looked at it more deeply, and asked it what it is trying to tell you?

It’s true. You are far more powerful, resourced, and resilient when you are inhabiting your body, than when you’re not.

You’re far more able to live and enjoy life, too.

Fully occupying the body that you’re in, right now, can inform and transform so many things.

When you’re ready to discover more powerful, truly loving and accepting ways to be with your feelings while being in your body, I’m here to help.

You deserve to live a joyful, meaningful, beautiful life – free from the torment of emotional eating and living a short distance from yourself.

You deserve MORE.

Never forget that.

Lots of love,

Alicia