Suddenly Raw Food makes sense to me.

[James Carmichael]

Recently as i've said in a different post I fell off the wagon for about 7 days. I felt really bad and I knew eating cooked foods was what was making me feel that way. Even so I kept on eating them because it was EASY! I've come to realize if I'm to succeed at my goals I need a new fresh perspective on why it is I want to go raw in the first place.

This morning it suddenly hit me. Its the way I'm living my life that is what is making me want to eat a specific way. I think I live my life negitively therefore I eat negatively. I've had vision impairments all my life, I've had family tragedys and I've also beaten myself up about such things all my life. My relationship with food has been very bad to say the least.

When I woke up and was about to make breakfast I started thinking about my life and where it was going etc. I realized I'm thinking about the wrong things and trying to think about things too much instead of simply letting things flow naturally. Or in other words I'm thinking about food too much and over complicating the whole thing. Rather than trying to fix the food problem I'm going to focus a lot more on fixing the way I look at life and myself. Food is part of life and it isn't the only thing people need to heal in my mind. As soon as I starting thinking this way I've craved nothing but raw foods all day and as a result today has been my most successful of all my days Raw.

My point is: Maybe it is not your diet that needs fixing, but your mind. I think the diet will fall into place after you have healed your mind.

Does anyone has any opinions on what I've said?

[Aleesha Sattva]

rev is a huge supporter of what you just wrote and i totally agree as well. it's not the all to end all... it's a part of the puzzle.

but it's a lovely part of the puzzle *smiles*

[James Carmichael]

Its weird it just all seemed to click this morning I don't even know why it happened. I've only gotten into raw food about 8 months ago and I've been at 50-60% raw for about 4 months now minus the week off I had last week. The more I go raw the more sense it seems to make and I'm sure I'm only scratching the surface of a whole new part in my life. I'm really excited and motivated right now, I just hope it says that way. I'm not going to beat myself up if I do make mistakes from now on though; that only leads to more negativity.

[Aleesha Sattva]

that's why i always say 'guilt has no place in our lives'. why feel guilty? you've made that choice, own it and move on. perhaps you'll make a different choice next time.

[James Carmichael]

I think beating yourself up will only lead to more negative eating and thinking anyway. So like you said Aleesha: Why feel guilty?

[Revvell]

I just hope it says that way.

Write it down. These feelings and awarenesses tend to last for short periods of time. Write it down where you can go and look at it ~ a blog here; a personal journal where you highlight and mark it. Write it down.

As Aleesha says, "all part of the puzzle"..

GREAT awareness btw.

[Aleesha Sattva]

GREAT awareness btw.

i agree!!!

and yup... go write it down!!! and then... when you feel the need... be sure to read it. that's what i do. gives me even deeper insight when i read it later.

[ReneeH]

Here, here!!! I totally agree! I think that's why I've been able to stay with this lifestyle since 2007... I finally "GET" it... Just eat Raw and make the best choices I can make. It doesn't have to be complicated. It's not about feeling guilty or trying to be perfect. It's about thinking about health and body in a different way. We don't eat just to fill our bellies. For me, I had to change the way that I view food.

I posted on another thread where I wrote about simplifying. Alissa talks about that in LOLF. Making gormet works for a while, but eventually you want to simplify. I love making gormet, but sometimes I just want a banana. That's all I want. Just a Banana! :)

When we eat SAD foods, we have those kinds of "foods" in our mind and I think that's why gormet Raw works coming from SAD. But, when we "get it", we simplify. :)

[mcster]

Congrats! Recognizing what you want to change is the first step in the right direction. Despite what corporations say, and their advertising is unrelenting, food is a source of energy. Nothing more, nothing less. The quality of input = the quality of output. That simple.

[James Carmichael]

I feel like I'm dying when I eat dead foods, but I feel alive when I eat living foods. It just all makes sense when you're in the right frame of mind. Like its been said before many times "Its not complicated."

I'm really in the right state of mind now and I can only look forward.

[ReneeH]

Good for you, James!!! Looks like you "get" it!!! :)

Continue to keep this mental attitude and you'll be successful!!! Does that mean you'll never slip? Not necessarily!!!!! But, should you slip, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on eating Raw! Success is not determined how many times you fail, but rather by you continuing to press on despite challenges. :)

Be kind to yourself and be as RAW as you can be for YOU! That's all you can ask for. :)

Hugs!
Nee

[James Carmichael]

Good for you, James!!! Looks like you "get" it!!! :)

Continue to keep this mental attitude and you'll be successful!!! Does that mean you'll never slip? Not necessarily!!!!! But, should you slip, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on eating Raw! Success is not determined how many times you fail, but rather by you continuing to press on despite challenges. :)

Be kind to yourself and be as RAW as you can be for YOU! That's all you can ask for. :)

Hugs!
Nee

Very kind words thanks you. I truely now believe the key is to forgive yourself and not take things too hard if you have a moment of weakness. If you don't make mistakes then you can't learn from them right?

This is my second day Raw now without any hiccups at all and I feel great :D

[ReneeH]

Good for you!!!!! I knew you could do it!!!!!

:holding your hand: :)

[nadien alexandra]

A healthy mind begets healthy Choices.
If you're trying to maintain a raw food lifestyle without confronting Your old way of thinking, being, then you carry around that old self and it weighs you down. It stops you from succeeding.

Write down these thoughts! such good advice.

My brother used to write the words "wake up!" on his hand everyday, so he'd always see it, and it'd pull him "out of it". it stopped him from being mindless, and doing or saying mindless things.

[Raw Angel Mom]

What a powerful revelation, thank you for sharing. I think you are right, once you feel balance inside, you will naturally incline to change your diet. I didn't think of it this way but the way we eat reflect where we are inside with our journey on this planet.

It sounds like a great plan to go inside first, the rest will fall into place