It's About Self Love!

[sweetgoddess]

I met a fantastic, beautiful girl this week. She has been eating all raw for over a year.
I had her over at my house, and my husband asked her, " so why did you go raw? Did you have health problems?"

She said "No. For me it is all about self-love." She said more, but that teensy statement has not stopped playing through my mind since.

It really is self-love, isnt it? Honoring and loving yourself, and all your levels of being with a raw and living food diet. It is surely one of the highest physical gestures of love you could give yourself, and it crosses far beyond just physical .

And so, I ponder. In the middle of my raw journey, I found myself in a huge struggle. Now, with that statement in mind, I wonder why.
Did I believe on some level that I didnt deserve this incredible gesture of self love?

Is the struggle some face on this health path essentially a struggle to love ones self? At the core, is that what every struggle is about?

Some food for thought!

As we make our way through this upcoming week, lets keep in our conscious minds this thought - " I am choosing raw, living foods as a gift of self love! How much can I love myself this week?"

[Punky]

Thank you SweetGoddess for posting this.
I will remind myself of this when I waiver between the cooked and raw
worlds ;) Great message!
I am also working on a poor self image/self esteem and
it's about time I learned to *love* myself. :)

[kmik]

Ah, I've kind of thought this, but couldn't find the right words to express it. When we love ourselves, does it mean we should "reward" ourselves with "treats" from the cooked relm? I think that's more like punishment! Loving ourselves means taking the best possilbe care of our bodies, and that of course means raw! (of course along with proper rest, stress avoidance, time for spirituality, etc.)

Thanks for sharing that!

[calee]

I really like the concept of self-love in connection to this raw journey. I view my exercise in the same way. I view flossing everynight as part of this. I grew up a food addict and I didn't learn to take very good care of myself, so here I am an adult who's now learning good self care habits.

When I'm in a challenge I have no problem staying completely raw. I'm accountable to myself and I write in my journal to be accountable to others. That said, I was over 100 days raw when I went to China. I knew I would eat cooked food there, but it took me 2 months and joining the 90 day challenge to get back on track full time. I'm hoping that the same thing doesn't happen to me when I get back from Japan on January 1st.

I think this entire self love things is really difficult. We don't get into bad habits for no reason. I think there's always an underlying cause. Sometimes while on the path of self love, the underlying things rear their ugly little heads and give us a good run emotionally to deal with those issues. I use my OA program when those things come up for me. The physical is a symtom of my addiction to cooked food and I need a spiritual/emotional way to deal with it all.

I'm really glad to have this place to come talk to others who share the same sort of challenges.

Thanks sweetgoddess!

[sweetgoddess]

Punky, "it's about time I learned to *love* myself"

I honestly think this is one of the greatest challenges we face. We get so good at loving others. Our children, spouses, families, pets etc.
It often puzzles me why it is such a conscious effort and a long learning process, offering the same non-judgemental, open, honoring love to myself as flows out of me, without effort, for my daughter and husband.

There should be a class in school called Self-Love and it should be mandatory in every grade. I think it would serve us better than Spanish!

Anyways, a raw food diet is a gigantic gift of self love, so your doing wonderfully! We all are. :)

Calee~"I think this entire self love things is really difficult. We don't get into bad habits for no reason. I think there's always an underlying cause. Sometimes while on the path of self love, the underlying things rear their ugly little heads and give us a good run emotionally to deal with those issues."
Yes! Bingo! lol

[druid]

well crap!
you had my hopes up. I thought this was about something else.

<wanders off>

[Punky]

When we love ourselves, does it mean we should "reward" ourselves with "treats" from the cooked relm? I think that's more like punishment!

I agree Kmik!
Yesterday, when I got to work someone brought halloween candy(chocolate) and plopped it right on my desk (my desk is in the main entrance).
And also someone brought in a cake.
Of course me with NO will power lately ate the chocolate (I just started my cycle OF COURSE) and the cake.
I certainly didn't feel good about it afterwards. I felt sick from the sugar high
and disgusted with myself. Now when I eat beautiful raw yummy desserts I always feel wonderful and guilt free. Raw food is definately loving oneself and good for the ego
;)

[Punky]

well crap!
you had my hopes up. I thought this was about something else.

<wanders off>


ROFL
LOL :p

[sweetgoddess]

ack, naughty druid! lol

Punky~"disgusted with myself"
Thats what I meant by struggling back in the middle of my raw journey(thus far!). we cant get farther from self-love than that can we? If my daughter ate something cooked, or my husband, would I feel disgusted with them? Of course not!
So a huge part of this process is learning not to judge ourselves in this way and certainly for this reason.

hmmm, I feel a poem coming on HAHA!

[Rawadventures]

Sweetgoddess,

What a great reminder. I really needed to hear (read) this today. Instead of blaming stress and circumstances I just need to learn to love myself enough to overcome those obstacles. I really have struggled with the self love issue lately and have been depending on circumstances to determine what I eat. Obviously that does not normally go over well for me. :rolleyes:

Well, thanks to this great point and wonderful reminder I am off to determine to love myself more! Whoo hoo, I am feeling good about this already! :p

[Punky]

Punky~"disgusted with myself"
Thats what I meant by struggling back in the middle of my raw journey(thus far!). we cant get farther from self-love than that can we? If my daughter ate something cooked, or my husband, would I feel disgusted with them? Of course not!
So a huge part of this process is learning not to judge ourselves in this way and certainly for this reason.


Your so right SG! I am much harder on myself than anyone else.
I need to change that.
My husband certainly didn't say anything to me about eating the cake
and candy yesterday.
I am working on getting that negative thought process out of my head.
I hope I can succeed someday....
long story, but my mom was/is verbally abusive to me all
my life so I am trying to retrain myself. I finally put my foot down with her
a few years back and told her I wasn't going to have her in my life if
she was going to continue to talk to me like that. It was the best thing
I ever did for myself; very liberating and empowering...
She is still abusive and belittling to my siblings though, but bites her tongue with me...so she hasn't changed at all.
I know, I need a shrink :o
But when I am raw I do feel so good about myself; just have to remind myself
I am human...


<<<hmmm, I feel a poem coming on HAHA!>>>>

LOL :)

[sweetgoddess]

I think we are all harder on ourselves than we are on other people Punky, so you are not alone on that.
You dont need a shrink. You just need to love yourself through the process, however long it takes and whatever form it takes.
Raw food is a great contribution to that.
I had a similar relationship with my mother, as a child, so I can empathise. I also know it is a journey, working through that.

But be assured, love will see you through!
Hugs~
Carmel

[Punky]

I think we are all harder on ourselves than we are on other people Punky, so you are not alone on that.
You dont need a shrink. You just need to love yourself through the process, however long it takes and whatever form it takes.
Raw food is a great contribution to that.
I had a similar relationship with my mother, as a child, so I can empathise. I also know it is a journey, working through that.

But be assured, love will see you through!
Hugs~
Carmel

Thanks Carmel for your kind words! It helps to know I am not alone :)
I am working thru all that and so much better than I use to be.
I use to live quite a risky lifestyle--wild, party girl, men, and lots of drugs in my late teens, 20's.
Than I met my husband....funny what *unconditional* love can
do for someone. His love brings out the best in me (ya, sorry this is so sappy!).Friends that knew me way back than cannot believe the
transformation...now I am a devoted stay at home mom/wife.
No one thought I would ever settle down, and *I have* and am very happy.
And they laugh how I went from drugs to organic health foods.
Raw foods is the last puzzle piece to my
Transformation :D

So off I go to *love* myself :) And not in *that* way Druid! :p
I will post your self love message on my frig to remind myself when I am having a rough day.

[sweetgoddess]

You sound a lot like me Punky! Amazing how we grow throughout our lifetime, isnt it? You are never alone at any rate.

Off to self love with some date nut torte..mmm!

[honeybee joy]

Thanks for the post sweetgoddess. It really made sense. It was something I needed to hear. It is just weird, over 2 years ago I prayed that god would help me unconditionally love myself, it is weird, I am getting there. I didn't even think about the fact that feeding yourself healthy & well is loving yourself, but it is. It will help when i get those late nite cooked food cravings that hit me. Just eating this way, has brought more love in my heart & life. It's amazing.

[Punky]

You sound a lot like me Punky! Amazing how we grow throughout our lifetime, isnt it? You are never alone at any rate.

Off to self love with some date nut torte..mmm!

Sounds like we both have come a long way in the self love area Sweetgoddess; making better lifestyle choices is such a part of that.
:)

[Queenie]

Sweetgoddess, love this post. the biggest difference I've noticed in myself since I began my raw journey is how much nicer I am! I don't know if it's self-love... I just call it a higher vibration. Last weekend I ate bunch of cooked food...ugh... and though I didn't feel it that much physically, I was nasty and grumpy in the two days that followed. I went back to 100% raw for one day and the following day I was my sweet self again. My mood swings and temper have gotten way better, but I have to stay raw.

The thing is not to beat ourselves up too much when we slip. Children slip and fall on their bum-bums when they're learning to walk. That's us. You know, it's really tough being the only raw person in your social circle. My sister is trying, but she keeps saying stuff like "I think I'll just do 70%, I need to be able to have dinner with my family... etc. etc." This is fine, but it means that I am the only person I know locally (Baltimore) who is trying to do 100%.

Anyway thanks.

[raeannasun]

This is fine, but it means that I am the only person I know locally (Baltimore) who is trying to do 100%.

Anyway thanks.
You should go to your local whole foods or wild oats and see if there are any raw food groups/potlucks posted on their community boards. I found a great resource of raw foodists by searching the internet. (Typing "Nashville Raw Food" in Google!" Actually, Helen was the first bio I came across on Shazzie's site and it said she was from Spring Hill, TN - the exact town I live in!!! Then, after e-mailing Helen I found out we even go to the same church!!! So, all that to say that I'm sure you will find some great new friends in your area that can help you! Good luck!!!

Check out these two rawfood meetup groups in the Baltimore area
http://rawfood.meetup.com/147/
http://rawfood.meetup.com/49/

[Queenie]

[QUOTE=raeannasun]You should go to your local whole foods or wild oats and see if there are any raw food groups/potlucks posted on their community boards.

thanks. our whole foods has been remodeled and the bulliten board has mysteriously been hidden. The other store I go to seems not to have one and the people working there aren't very raw savvy, though they have very good produce. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll keep looking. Cheli

[twinee1]

She said "No. For me it is all about self-love." She said more, but that teensy statement has not stopped playing through my mind since.




As I read this I thought it so true. Thanks for posting this.

I am going to, like you, ponder this for some time.

[Raw_Medic]

Thanks SG,
I had some cravings last night...And this statement helped me. When I was irritated at my boyfriend for "storing" chips and some muffins at my house, I remembered that I'm doing this for more than just the weight loss...I'm doing this to become healthier, and that is because I do have some self love, the gurther I go on this lifestyle, the more I love myself. Self love also helped get me on the treadmill this a.m. too! LOL Thank you....I'm going to print that out and look at it everyday...to remind me why I do this.

Ursula

[lodestar]

As a child growing up I was taught that my body is a temple. A sacred holy place that houses my spirit. With that foundation in place I also learned that in order to be "really happy" I needed to treat my body inside and out with anything that is "virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praisworthy" in order to maintain this holy temple. So, as I have progressed through life it has been amazing to see how I have been led to a more complete way of nourishing my body and thus my spirit. (if that makes any sense) Anyway, I do love myself and find that I love others better when I eat nature's food. "Do you really mind when I eat this way," I said to my husband this morning. "No, but I just don't want you to get sanctimonious about it," he kindly replies. "Well, it's hard to not share something that is so wonderful," I reply.
I live in a VERY cooked household and continue to cook for my family.
I dread Thanksgiving. I was raw last Thanksgiving and continue to see how much of the celebrations in my life revolve around cooked food. I am totally challenged by this even though I know it is good for me.

[twinee1]

I am looking at Thanksgiving as an Opportunity to treat myself to some new foods. I always disliked the traditional turkey meal, makes on plain old TIRED and loggy.

There is a great Apple Pie recipe in the Sunfood Cuisine Book I may try. So look at Thanksgiving as a time to Share some great food with others. If they don't like it..more for me !

[lodestar]

thank you twinee1 for some positive support and a great suggestion!

[Secret Heart]

I must wax cheesy here but you women and men are such an amazing bunch...even though I'm a bit of a lurker :o , you are such an inspiration with threads such as this one.

It's wonderful to know that everyone still struggles, at whatever stage of their raw journey/transformation they are at.

I have had such strong cooked cravings this week, (won and lost some battles) and your post about self-love really puts another spin on raw, which is fantastic. It's about self-nurture....all the way down to flossing and epsom salt baths....it's respect for our bodies...our bodies/selves are such a gift...thanks for reminding me of this.

Heather

[Alissa]

I had to post this here. I have this hanging on my fridge. I found these words a long time ago in my journey and i refer back to them often!

Q: After dieting unsuccessfully for 30 years, it seems clear to me that dieting is not the answer. Is there a quality or attitude within me that I should be trying to develop or change before I can maintain a normal weight?

A: "Yes, and there are absolutely no calories involved.
It is self-love.
Now, am I saying love your over weightness? No, I am saying love yourself, just love yourself, take a large dose of it before each meal.
By the very nature of self-loving, you will organically honor your body, you will organically cherish who you are, you will organically become the weight you desire.
But if it comes through self hate and judgment, which now it does, all you do is starve yourself more.
For you cannot be filled with anything but self-loving.
Nothing else on your planet will fill you, or anyone else.
Even the love another, although certainly the love of another is a wondrous accompaniment.
It is self-loving, that is what you require, and that is all."

[Douglas]

Oh I really liked this topic. Self love eating, wow that is fantastic. Everytime I eat raw, I get this overwhelming good feeling. It is like the food thanks me for eating it, and you can tell this is what your body really wants. I am at peace with my self after I eat raw. As I am not craving anything else, because my body got what it was really wanting. This way of eating to me, Just feels right. Thanks for this topic I really enjoyed it. Doug in Ca :) ;) :eek:

[calee]

I really like what you wrote about a good dose of self love.

As a long term compulsive eater, I spent a life time trying to fill that hole inside. I was searching for the perfect food to fit that hole and make me feel better. I tried all the way up to 249 pounds, but the hole was still there.

I've been doing a lot of "self" work in recovery and I'm really coming to understand on a deep cellular level that the only thing that can really fill that hole is self love.

It doesn't mean I can sit on my tush and wait for it to happen, I have to take steps in good self care, like getting fresh air, exercising, lots of rest, spending time with friends who mirror back to me the best parts of myself and love me no matter what, reading and learning about raw foodism, shopping for wonderful good quality raw food and then treating myself as if I deserve the wonderful richness of a raw meal. I deserve the wonderment that comes from living a life like the one that I'm creating for myself. From here I can feel the hole slowly filling with self love.

Lee

[vegggeeemom]

I have to take steps in good self care, like getting fresh air, exercising, lots of rest, spending time with friends who mirror back to me the best parts of myself and love me no matter what,

Lee

Lee,

You are so right about this! I know it has made a huge difference in my own raw journey to surround myself with positive people that accept ME for who I am!
Fresh air, exercise and lots of rest! I need to work on those though! LOL

I love this thread!

[sweetgoddess]

Nothing else on your planet will fill you, or anyone else.
It is self-loving, that is what you require, and that is all

Those lines hit me like a ton of bricks Imagine that. All we need.

Great quote Alissa:)

[catherinethegreat]

Well hello there! yep it's me C the G...I've decided to do a 30 day cleanse and to this website to lurk around and the first post I read is this one.

How perfect!

What a perfect idea or theme to start my cleanse with!

So for the next 30 days I will eat love.

Nothing more.

Love coming from my thoughts
My words
My choices in every moment including the food I choose to eat.

Thank you for this!

xo
*catherine

;)

[sweetgoddess]

scream! Cat! hi gorgeous. I am sooooo happy to see you, triatholon woman! Welcome back.

Eat love....ha love it. ;)



"all you need is love...all you need is love.." (everybody sing!)

xo
Carmel

[vegggeeemom]

Had to bump this! Wow! This hit home to me again and I thought others might benefit from it.
I have tears in my eyes!! This is such a profound, but simple idea!
I do love myself enough that I am re-dedicating myself to the raw lifestyle!

Thanks!

Pam

[Dancer]

Thank you sooooo much for bumping this, vegggeeemom.

As this is my official day one of a raw way of life, this couldn't have been a more perfect message for me to receive.

Thank you all. (<--- getting emotional)

It's funny also, because my boyfriend's way of saying I love you to me is by cooking me a gourmet meal. And we have made little signs that say, "Food is Love". So know I'll just have to amend that saying a little to, "Living Food is Love". Actually, I really like that. I'm going to put it on my signature.

I'm so glad I found this forum!
Thanks,
Dancer

[karotw]

I'm always so excited when I come to this board and read exactly what I need to see!

Living food IS Love - and the best way I can think of to love myself is to put healthy living, loving foods into my body :D

I struggle alot with the word "deserve" - I often catch myself asking if I "deserve" to have the many blessings I have and when I'm in that line of thinking I often will catch myself sabotaging my self loving behaviors. . .those old patterns do die hard, but I tell you, if I keep doing it differently, eventually differently becomes the new way of being. . . so I keep on loving. . .myself and those around me. I watched the movie "What the bleep do you know?" again last night - there is a great scene where the main character is drawing on her body with a eyeliner pencil - I heart U, lot of hearts, and loving messages. . . and it just reminds me again (and I need lots of reminders!) that the loving actions I take toward myself are the best gifts I can ever give.

I love me and I love the heathy living food that I put into my body each day. I love my body, each and every part of it. I love my life and all of the paths that I have taken to get to this place today. Oh yeah, and I love this board and all of you for being here each day to share your own love and your path with me!

thanks for this reminder and remember to to love, love, love today :D

Many, many blessings,
Karen

[JMD]

hI,

I enjoyed this thread a lot!! I am 100% like calee---used food to fill a void that was more spiritual than physical....even with healthy foods. Overeating with any food is still not self love for me b/c then I end up wasting my energy in self-pity and fat negative thoughts than actually being positive and productive with my day.

I try daily to write a gratitiude list for my body to counteract the "needs improvement" one i have going on since i was in 3rd grade. Although i have some pounds to let go--mostly some inches..I still thank God/Spirit for my strong toned legs and arms...etc.. It really helps especially during PMS.

Big hugs to you all,
JMD:)

[squidly]

the funny part is that I have more self love when I eat raw. I really struggle with raw yet know that it is right for me. I only ever seem to last 100% for 10 days at a time though remain high raw when I fall off - I have 33 years of sugar addiction and binging that I am fighting - and I WILL win the war!

When raw I am calmer, more peaceful and more loving not only of others but also myself. I am sitting here eating a nectarine after 4 days of falling off the wagon - I feel so yucky but am getting back on track - because i love myself and want that peaceful loving feeling back again - the one that only raw can give me. I may fall off alot but each time I get back on faster and yes as said before I need to learn more self love so as I don't beat myself up about the falls. I have decided as suggested on another thread to do one day challenges - strung together

May love fill us all

[lil fairy z girl]

thank you for your post. i remembered it today when i was tempted to have unraw at a cafe with my hubby. i didnt, i stayed raw :) thank you :)

fairy wishes,
~* ~ lil fairy girl ~ * ~

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Thanks for bumping this thread back up. It is so amazing in this vast Universe of ours, that I sat here writing about this same topic/feeling this afternoon w/out seeing these beautiful posts.

What a gift this site is for those of us on this blessed path. :o
Lana

[Aasyah]

Great post, we have to also always keep in touch with ourselves and never forget we are worthy and deserve the best in life. Self love is not being selfish towards others, for if we do not love ourselves how can we truly love others :-)

[Guydiane]

Heres what I learned at my week at OHI be kind to your self look in the mirror in the morning tell your self you love you.

THE FRIEND IN THE MIRROR

Speak gently to yourself.
Speak freely in in praise in all you've been.
Speak clearly with pride in all you've been.
Speak bravely with hope for all you may become.

Find in yourself the powers that only you possess, the pains that only you can overcome, the promises that only you can keep.

Look deeply into the mirror of your life and discover the very special person that only you can be.

Edwar Cunningham

Those words say it all