Embracing the Edge of Comfort: The Key to Reaching your Food and Body Image Goals

Ever found yourself at the edge of a comfort zone, heart pounding with the fear of the unknown? I've been there, and let me tell you, it's where the magic of transformation begins. Our latest conversation dives into the heart of discomfort, peeling back the layers to reveal its invaluable role in reshaping our relationship with food and body image. With the wisdom of lived experiences, I unravel personal mantras and strategies that have guided me through the unease and towards a place of self-compassion and courage. It's about taking those small steps, hand-in-hand with a community who gets it, and learning that bravery doesn't mean fearlessness—it's about choosing to move forward, even when every fiber of your being resists.

This episode isn't just talk; it's a clarion call to action for anyone ready to break free from the binds of diet culture and disordered eating. I'll guide you through the practice of sitting with discomfort, getting curious about it, and mindfully stepping into the growth it promises. And because I'm committed to walking this path with you, I'm offering a personal invitation to a free mini-course that paves the way to sustainable freedom with your body and food. So, if you're ready to celebrate the victories waiting on the other side of discomfort, this empowering journey starts with a simple DM—'freedom' is just a message away. Let's embark on this transformative quest together, with open hearts and the courage to grow. instagram- @jameird_

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, food and Body Image Warriors, I am so glad you are joining today. Today we are going to be talking about the key to change, the key to changing our relationship with food and body and getting to a place of ultimate freedom. And what is that? That is, getting uncomfortable, straying away from comfort and getting uncomfortable. An objection I hear so often is this is uncomfortable, so it must be wrong. And this is uncomfortable, and I fear X, y or Z right, this is uncomfortable and I fear I will be uncomfortable forever. The discomfort will not go away. What if it sticks? This is an objection I hear very often to moving in the direction that we know we need to be moving in making the changes we know we didn't need to be making, making the changes we know that are going to transform our life.

Speaker 1: 1:05

Now I want to start by saying a few things that you could some mantras you can repeat to yourself about discomfort. Discomfort does not mean bad. Being uncomfortable does not equate to being wrong. Discomfort doesn't mean you're going in the wrong direction. Now it's uncomfortable to stop our dieting, disordered eating and body shaming behaviors, and how we physically feel as we're moving through our and mentally too, how we feel when we're moving through recovery from binge eating, restrictive eating, disordered eating, diets, body image healing it's all going to be very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. And that's something to note and know before you're moving forward so that you don't have these incorrect expectations and so that you're ready to get uncomfortable. The thoughts getting louder around disordered eating, you know, and around body image that's uncomfortable. Not knowing if the direction we're heading in is the correct direction and not knowing what's to come and leaning into that hope that's uncomfortable. Building our window of tolerance that's uncomfortable. Being hard things is uncomfortable. Change humans, hate change that's uncomfortable. Looking our fears is uncomfortable. Navigating all the unknowns is very uncomfortable. Doing something different is uncomfortable. Rewiring is uncomfortable. Learning body acceptance is uncomfortable. Practicing intuitive eating is uncomfortable. Bringing all foods back in is uncomfortable. It is all so very uncomfortable, and those are exactly the things we need to be doing.

Speaker 1: 3:06

That uncomfortable feeling is going to feel wrong. It can feel wrong. It can feel like we're doing something that is leading us in a bad direction and it leads us to judge that feeling and conclude that we shouldn't be doing that thing. And this couldn't be further from the truth. Many times when we are getting uncomfortable, we are experiencing that discomfort because we're doing something that that anxious part of us, that fearful, that avoidant part, is not happy with, because it feels like we're we're doing something in disservice to us, because we're not doing what we're so used to doing in order to quote-unquote protect ourselves. Okay, it feels different.

Speaker 1: 3:51

There's an analogy I use a lot and that is the feeling of when we move, maybe into a new house, a new town. A lot of times we are moving to a new town, a new house that we have chosen because we know that is what's best for us, that's going to give us the life that we want, it's going to give us the community we want, it's gonna fit our family better, whatever it might be right. And despite that, when people move, there's a huge sense of discomfort and like loneliness and just does not feel. It does not feel great, and that's because it's a change. Does that mean we shouldn't be moving? No, absolutely not. It just means that when there's change, when there's discomfort, or when there's change, there's going to be discomfort and we have to lean in, we have to give it time, we have to be okay with getting uncomfortable. So here are ways in which you can start getting uncomfortable right now.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Alright, how can you get more comfortable with being uncomfortable? Let's talk about it. The first thing here is redefined discomfort. I want you to redefine what discomfort means and that connection you have with what discomfort means. How do you know discomfort means growth? How can you connect with the idea that discomfort means you are growing? How can you connect discomfort with moving in the direction you want to be moving in your relationship with food and body?

Speaker 1: 5:28

The next thing you can do to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable is start small. Increase your window of tolerance with discomfort by asking yourself how can I get a little more uncomfortable today? Make it manageable by breaking it down into smaller parts and build your window of tolerance and your safety there. No peace is too small, nothing is too small. The next item surround yourself with people who will encourage and you should think, encourage and support your discomfort. Okay, surround yourself with people that are going to encourage you and support you in that discomfort. Get a cheerleader, get a support system.

Speaker 1: 6:14

The next thing work on raising awareness and challenging yourself. Talk Are you saying I can't handle this discomfort? This is impossible, this is too difficult? How is this talk holding you back? Raise awareness around that self-talk because it's going to influence your behaviors greatly and your beliefs. Say something more like this is very uncomfortable, but it's not impossible. This is very uncomfortable, but I'm going to build my window of tolerance around this discomfort.

Speaker 1: 6:50

Next thing acknowledge the fear around this discomfort. It's okay to be fearful. Practice compassion, practice acceptance around that discomfort. Say I'm afraid, I'm afraid, and understand it's okay to be fearful. Courage does not mean not having fear. It means doing the thing despite having that fear. I'm going to say that again.

Speaker 1: 7:13

Courage does not mean not having that fear. It means doing the thing despite having that fear. We can get used to being uncomfortable. We can build our window of tolerance. And getting uncomfortable means change, which means doing things differently, which means having a different life, a different relationship with food and body. Okay, discomfort is very, very, very normal. It's very normal and feeling discomfort is really to be expected and it's also something to be celebrated.

Speaker 1: 7:45

I celebrate with my clients so often for getting uncomfortable and what that discomfort brings them and all that they share, that that discomfort has taught them. Rather than acting with automatic behaviors and judgment, get curious with your discomfort. Practice sitting with the feeling, with mindful awareness, with compassion. Make an intentional choice to move forward with that discomfort. We really it's absolutely necessary to get uncomfortable to grow. We cannot grow without discomfort.

Speaker 1: 8:14

So I'm going to leave you today with asking you how can you work to get uncomfortable today and tomorrow and every day, to help transform your relationship with food and body and get to the place you truly desire? Alright, with that, I'm going to go ahead and leave you and also invite you to my two-day free mini course, which is all about navigating and understanding and transforming our relationship with body image by finally ditching diets, disordered eating and moving to a place for full food and body image freedom that is sustainable. So I'm very excited to invite you to that. If you DM me the word freedom on Instagram at JamieRD underscore, I will send it right over. Alright, until next time. Stay brave, stay strong. I'm very proud of you and we will chat next time.