Hey gorgeous. Are you tired of trying to get it all right?

Me too, girl.

In my last post I suggested that all of the “should’s” we carry around are hindering us more than they are helping us.

You should exercise tonight

You should eat a healthy dinner. 

You should choose that low-fat skinny-latte. 

We tend to think these “should’s” are giving us healthy direction, when in fact, speaking to ourselves in this way is only putting pressure on us. By mid-day, we’re ready to kick back, and save that list of things we’d set out to do for “next time.”

And then we feel guilty for not doing the things we thought we should do. 

What the heck. 

For example…

Here are some things that you might want:

• have a maintainable diet that allows you to feel good
• lose the guilt around food and find pleasure in it
• feel calm & confident with food, even on special occasions
• not be judged for your struggles when they come up
• take care of yourself, while not feeling restricted
• feel light, happy, and confident
• lose the chaos in exchange for feeling balanced

And in the same breathe, here’s what actually happens…

• losing control around certain foods
• eating when you’re not hungry out of anxiousness
• throwing in the towel at social events
• eating too fast & not having enough time to make good choices
• comparing yourself to other women & feeling badly
• restricting or limiting yourself in an effort to “make healthy choices”
• feeling like you’re probably incapable of listening to your body
• restricting which eventually leads you to bingeing/overeating
• burning out of willpower faster than you’d planned for
• lacking enough self-awareness
• feeling too overwhelmed to do anything

Sound familiar?

Here’s an example of a “should” that I hear all the time…

“I want to lose weight, so I SHOULD eat healthy.”

Does knowing this ACTUALLY help you to eat healthy?

Even if it does for a few days, the burnout sets in quickly, and you’re just ready to just do what you want.

This is when you finally go get that fro-yo, or eat those Oreo’s, or buy that pastry at the coffee shop you go to every morning. Screw it. Your best friend ate a treat earlier, so you can too (you’re just trying to have a little fun, sheesh).

Here’s what I want to share with you…

I’ve had all the same struggles.

There have been many times in my own life were I’ve gone after something I wanted with willpower, gotten results, and could barely blink before those results hit the ground running the minute I thought I’d “achieved” them.

Want an example?

I did a juice fast once, and I lost 13 pounds in one week. Can you believe it? Sounds like a sweet deal if you want to lose weight, right? 

Negative. The following week, when I went back to eating normally (mind you, still trying to make “healthy choices”) I gained those 13 pounds back plus 2 more.

Does that sounds like something that “works” for weight loss to you?

Nooo. It doesn’t. It’s temporary, exhausting, uninspiring, and there are so many other places you could be giving your attention…

If I can let go of these nasty thoughts/plans/ideas, then so can you.

And if you’re thinking you can’t… 

SOMETHING I KNOW FOR SURE is that anyone can learn to do anything.

Anything can be accomplished by anyone *when it is broke down into small enough chunks.*

Just look at what my clients have to say…

• Before working with Paige, I had tried so many crazy diets that had “worked” for me in the past, but weren’t working anymore. I began losing my friends, social life, and was afraid to have fun around food. Working with Paige has helped me to turn my struggles into opportunities, to understand my needs and get to know myself even better. Today, I finally feel happy, and my ONLY regret is not starting with Paige sooner. I am in control of my own life and I have Paige to thank for that. – MARGOT C.

• Tuning into my feelings was never something I did. I would constantly stress about good vs. bad foods, use crash diets or juice cleanses before trips, and turn to alcohol to let go of my need for control. Paige doesn’t just teach you about intuitive eating, she teaches you about intuitive living. I can safely say this is the happiest I’ve ever been and that I’m at the most natural weight I’ve been at in a while. – ANDREA S.

I know you’re ready to experience being your best self, without getting it all right, or limiting yourself in any way.

I’m not willing to believe that these things are only possible for some people. They’re possible for you, too… 

So, stay tuned, because next week I’ll be writing to you about how you can begin to let go of the nasty thoughts that pressure you, make you feel guilty, and keep you from moving forward. 

Oh, and I know you have questions about all of this. I know, because I did too when I first began to let go of the rules that had been so engrained in me – this is normal. I’ll address these as we go – I’ve got you.

I’ll leave you with this to chew on…

“Waking up to who you are requires letting go of who you imagine yourself to be.” – Alan Watts‬

BOOM.

So, today, give yourself permission to not get it all right (because as we’re learning, that’s not a very helpful tool anyway).

Share with me in the comments: Are you beginning to make sense of how it really doesn’t help to put the nasty pressures on ourselves? Are you beginning to see that there is probably another, better way?

Oh, and before you go…

The release of Authentically You, my new signature group program, is right around the corner. Get ready to say goodbye to comparison, guilt, and restrictive eating, and hello to a happier, healthier, brighter YOU. Join the waitlist for the next class here.