I have numerous posts here on my blog about different treatments I’ve tried and different approaches I have undertaken in an attempt to heal the constant tension and pain I’ve held in my jaw and neck for the past 2+ years. Pain that has transferred and manifested in several other parts of my body, too. At times the pain subsides and, other times, I wonder how I can keep on living in my body. I’m sure if you deal with TMJ Disorder or have any form of chronic pain you can understand how I feel.
It’s taken a lot of exploration, self-care, and resilience to get me here today. I now bear a fraction of the TMJ pain I once had and my symptoms have nearly gone away. I went from not being able to open my mouth larger than the size of a golf ball to, well, having my face feel more like my face again.
There are some key things that have helped me and I want to share them in case they can be of help to you–wherever you are in your journey to heal TMJD or chronic pain!
Quick definition:
TMJ stands for Temporomandibular joint which is the joint that runs along the side of the face. It begins at the temples and runs down in front of the earlobes and into the jaw. TMJ is not an ailment itself but TMJD (or TMJ Disorder) involves a series of symptoms stemming from that area of the body.
There is a lot that I’ve learned (not only about my TMJ symptoms but) about my overall health and the very interconnectedness of all aches, stressors, symptoms, emotions, and more that I feel needs to be talked about.
Before I dive into how I’ve been able to heal, I want to drop some references to other posts you may want to check out. My process for healing my TMJ disorder and related pains involved me looking into how I could better myself on multiple levels.
Because this is the internet, I will also put the disclaimer that anything I share here is just personal experience and meant to be used for educational purposes and not as a replacement for medical care, professional advice, or otherwise.
My only suggestion would be to try out what stands out to you and know that a combination of the below therapies and tools have work best rather than just one thing alone. Also, be open-minded and be willing to commit to yourself! Healing is on the other side of resistance.
The Mel Makes It Happen Grand List of Tools for TMJ Disorder:
Oral Night Guard
I got a night guard early on when pain in my jaw first started developing. These are easy to obtain at drugstores but I would recommend getting one specially made for you at your dentist/orthodontist because that one will be much more comfortable!
Essential Oils
I’ve tried a variety of essential oils, including Young Living’s PanAway blend or the Saje Wellness Peppermint Halo roll-on for when my jaw had serious pain. Those are my personal favorites but if you have single oils on hand, you can apply a mix of peppermint, rosemary, clove, wintergreen, and helichrysum can be a good one, too. However, what has been incredibly helpful for me has actually been theH. Gillerman Jaw Clenching Remedy. It works subtly to calm the jaw enough to release the muscles. Once the jaw is less focused on clenching, it is more susceptible to the benefits of physical therapy exercises (see below).
CBD
While CBD doesn’t completely take away pain, it does dull pain enough for you to carry on with your day/night. While essential oils tend to provide an invigorating or calming effect (depending on what oil you use), CBD encourages relaxation which can be especially helpful before bed. Anything you can do to help relax you so you’re not clenching is helpful!
Jade Roller
The facial self-care is definitely up when you have TMJ disorder. Ajade rollercan feel very nice, not only because of its cooling effects (when stored in the fridge) but because it helps rub out the muscles. Jade rolling can be done morning or night as an accompaniment to your skincare routine. I like to use the roller to focus near the sides of my face on the muscles a little harder to dig into with my hands alone.
Yoga
There are some yoga stretches that may be helpful when TMJD symptoms extend past the jaw and into the neck, shoulders, and back. I like this 10 min videoto help squeeze out the knots in the upper body. Definitely explore videos on YouTube because there are lots of yoga and stretching videos for any part of the body that needs some loving. Here’sanother good one just in case you like options!
Therapeutic Face Massage
If you don’t have a jade roller, or if you’re just more of a hands-on person, self massage is perfect! I started researching various massages on YouTube and foundthis one to be really helpful.
Chiropractic Care
I started seeing a chiropractor in January 2020 and you can read all about my experience in my 6 month recap post. It took me trying out three different chiropractors to find one with a structured treatment plan aimed at helping my jaw improve. In a situation like this, I was also given physical therapy exercises I could do at home, which I feel are very necessary if you have TMJ issues. It’s worthwhile to get clear on what the professional can help with and constantly reassess treatment as your symptoms change. You want someone who is willing to work with you and not solely lead you down a path they feel is best.
MY TIP: When first looking for a chiropractor, or any professional healthcare assistance, it’s best to call or visit their website to see if they have a specific treatment plan for how to tend to TMJ disorder.
Acupuncture
I’ve also written about my acupuncture experienceand this was one of my favorite treatments. The same rules from above apply (ask questions!). My acupuncturist is more consultation-based so I was able to ask questions and express concerns at the initial and every subsequent visit. I had cupping done, to help draw out the tension, and needles inserted, to target the root of my pain spots. The perk of acupuncture is how relatively quick results are. So, a couple of weeks of treatment will definitely move the needle in the healing direction (pun intended).
Facial Massage
A friend of mine introduced me to qi gong which is a gentle form of movement that helps to maximize your body’s natural energy. One day I curiously searched for qi gong for the face on YouTube and came across someqi gong facial massages! I’d consider these to be different than physical therapy or other types of facial massage. While they aren’t targeted at TMJ pain, I think they help get the energy flowing when my face feels a little stiff or swollen (especially in the mornings).
Dr. Adam Fields TMJ videos
I recommend these more than anything! The exercises outlined in Dr. Field’s firstand secondvideo really help to stretch the jaw in unique ways I hadn’t seen anywhere else. Obviously I’ve sought out many resources and that’s why I’ve put together this list! If you are like me and deal with neck issues also, his series of videos for neck exercises are also outstanding.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
I want to do a whole post about lymphatic drainage because this whole system is so fascinating! With all of the muscle tension, swelling, and pain happening in the face, jaw, and neck, lymphatic drainage helps to aid in detoxification. This specific style of massage works with the lymphatic system to decrease inflammation and puffiness, which are (in my opinion) frustrating and uncomfortable side effects to TMJ issues. This video is specifically for the jaw, cheek, and neck.
You may be wondering if you read that right or if I made a mistake with the title and the answer is no. I fully meant singing. I started to think about the jaw/neck pain that I had on a multi level way, besides physical. I resonate with the chakra system and in that methodology, dysfunction in the neck and jaw equates with not speaking your truth or underutilizing your communication sector. Singing is a rather fun way of opening up the vocal chords and loosening up the jaw. I began dedicating time to vocal warm ups and singing along to my favorite songs on a regular basis.
Enforcing boundaries
In the same spirit of tapping into the throat chakra, enforcing boundaries is a very important thing to communicate. In the past, I have tended to shy away from saying no and have looked for others to set the pace. This is not only a very passive way to live but it encourages others to walk all over you! I’ve gained more understanding of my values and have thus been practicing laying out my needs with others as clearly as possible. Take what you want from this but exercising this muscle has been so helpful for me.
Speaking my truth, unapologetically
What hurts me the most is not standing up for myself. Not being honest about what matters to me and, instead, morphing to fit what others desire. It is incredibly unsustainable, for one. Secondly, I’ve come into the mindset that each one of us deserves happiness. So dimming our light or belittling ourselves so as not to take up space (literally or figuratively) is only keeping us from blossoming into the most healed and authentic version of ourselves. Do not be afraid to share what is really in your heart!
Stress reduction
Have you heard that stress is the cause of all ails? It is linked to many chronic illnesses and that is largely because it keeps your body in a heightened state of panic, utilizing all of its valuable resources! Think: fight or flight. When your body is stressed out, it isn’t able to spend time allocating resources to engage in bodily processes or heal. Think: rest and digest. Instead of zooming places, rushing through your day, or holding your breath (something I’m guilty of), consider how you can make this very moment a little more peaceful? If you can incorporate relaxation into this moment, and then the next moment, and then the next, you’re better setting your body up to heal itself.
Self-connection
I believe our bodies hold answers to many things about us that we may not even be consciously aware of. A practice I like to do involves sitting in a quiet room alone and taking note of how I feel. Asking myself what the spots I hold pain are saying and what they are asking me to notice. Our bodies really do talk to us but we have to be open to listening. Take what you may from this but connecting to myself in this way has helped me feel more involved in my healing and not just a passenger in the process.
Having a healing mindset
I share this one last because I have struggled to maintain this myself. I feel that my own healing fluctuates a lot and that has made me doubt whether I’m getting better or not. I’ve been working to shift my perspective to not see obstacles as “not healing” but rather a step in the life-long process of healing.
Healing is on the other side of resistance.
There we are! I’ve tried many remedies and techniques to help heal my TMJ disorder symptoms naturally and I’ve covered just about all of them. My jaw has felt better in recent time but I wouldn’t say any one thing alone has taken my jaw pain away. I will say that dedication to healing and being willing to try out a combination of the aforementioned tools has helped me become happier and more able to function in a way that feels “like myself”.
I hope you may give some of these a try and let me know how it goes. Plus, feel free to share any treatments or techniques that have worked for you in the comments. I’d love to make this as large of a resource page as possible!
Lastly, if you know anyone who could use the information on this post, please send it their way!
Years ago, healing is not a word I would have associated with myself in a long-term state. To me, healing was the 1 to 2 weeks it takes to get over a cold or the 6 months someone might require of physical therapy post-injury. I’ve even shared about my childhood arthritis and how remission seemed almost immediate. I’ve never had concerns linger around long enough for me to see how layered healing can really be.
Healing is a process.
It was a naïve way of thinking to believe that healing was a one-and-done situation. It was only through a variety of trials as an adult that I have explored different ways of being and different practices. Each one has taught me a lot about myself but some really led me astray in ways that I’m still unpacking today.
Just to name a few: when I got my first full-time job, I was exposed to working with others, learning what I value in work, falling in love, and stress like I’ve never experienced before all-in-one place. I over exercised my body into a state of amenorrhea and hormonal imbalance. There’s also the interesting facet of disordered eating and body image issues that I can’t remember establishing but nonetheless affected me in major ways.
So, when I realized how much any one of these events, or aspects of them, was affecting me, I had to seek out healing.
Check out my post on How to Recognize Dis-Ease for more explanation on what it means when something is affecting you. For me, often the desire for healing came from insomniatic thoughts keeping me up and crying at 12 am. Or spending too many evenings with a belly ache and a disgust for the way I would treat myself. A lot of the time, it came from me seeing someone I admire living FREELY and me really wanting to no longer be tied down to my burdens.
However, just because I made a decision in ONE moment, it didn’t mean I was relieved.
There is the initial stage of learning what’s wrong. I use the word “wrong” loosely here, only as a means to signify what is out of alignment for you. What happens after this has no pattern, guidebook, or timeline because it’s different for everyone. It is inevitable that I learned more about my relationship to my symptoms and why they existed in the time (days, months, and years) following the ah-ha moment when I realized what was out of alignment.
Sometimes it seemed obvious like, maybe I ate food that just doesn’t sit well with me. Yet, as my unique process of healing moved along, I realized there is a lot that I was doing to myself. It wasn’t necessarily some outside thing affecting me, in several cases I began to flip the script and see how I was affecting me.
The role of the self in healing:
They say that the first step in recovering is recognizing that you have a problem. Well, I knew very well that I had a problem but that didn’t always inspire action. I simultaneously held in my mind the desire to change my ways and the desire to cling to what was comfortable. The fear of “what if I’m unfixable?” or “what if I try something different and it doesn’t actually make me feel better?” plagued me and kept me oscillating between getting better and just being in a rut.
Oh yeah, the rut. There’s also the time I spent not actively trying to get better. When I thought I’d reached a good place with myself, I’d succumb to my old ways, thinking I could handle a swim. Instead of holding my head above water, I quickly sunk into the habits, discomfort, and thought processes that I thought were gone.
I didn’t know I was backpedaling until I was in the thick of the muck again. I do not admonish myself because this needed to happen once, twice, 38,420,950 times until I finally learned I don’t want this to keep happening! We are human beings that learn through patterns and establishing new ways of being requires commitment to try again. Healing isn’t about “getting it right”, it’s about being willing to learn your ways, anticipate possibilities, call yourself out on your BS, and be willing to start over many, many times.
To put it simply: healing is a process.
Healing may start out as a way to get rid of toxins, negative thoughts, bad habits, and pain. The healing that endures takes a more holistic approach of not just looking at the symptom but how that symptom arrived in the first place. The process of healing involves an ongoing journey of learning, connecting all aspects of health, and being open to adapting.
xo,
Melanie
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Disclaimer: any material shared on Mel Makes It Happen is based on personal experience of the author and meant to be used for educational purposes only. The information is not a replacement for medical care, therapy, or professional advice/treatment.
I know baths are on every self-care list out there but that is for good reason. There is a hugely therapeutic element to taking a bath. In a society that encourages us to do, do, do all of the time, it can be hard to hang out in still water for 20 minutes or more. You can bring a calming music playlist, a book, or some toys with you into the bathtub. Yes, you read that right! There’s also no need to feel like a fish in a bowl of hot water. Add bath salts to the water, tea bags, flower petals, herbs, or essential oils.
When I take a bath, it is an opportunity to release tightness in my body and relax. It’s not an everyday thing but I try to honor those cravings when I feel them because it means my spirit is in need of a little TLC (or I’m just sore after a workout). If I don’t have time for a full on bath, I like to also just soak my feet in hot water. You can fill up a basin or sit on your bathroom counter top, if you’re lazy like me.
Our feet are a huge place of stored tension and energy so it’s important to tend to them. You can add a sprinkle of the mustard bath (recipe below) to your foot soak, too! A few minutes, or however long feels good to you, will work wonders for relieving stress and helping you feel revived.
I like to follow up both of these with a self-administered foot massage and lots of lotion!
Okay, let’s move on to the recipe. I bet half the people who clicked over here thought I was talking about squeezing French’s mustard all over myself but nooo. Save that for your hot dogs. For this bath soak, you’ll need dry mustard powder. You can find this in the spice section of most grocery stores or order online for a better price in bulk!
I pulled inspiration from Ayurveda but many cultures have traditionally used mustard baths as a way to heal from sickness by drawing toxins out of the body with the spices, salts, and hot water. It can also be used for body aches and pains. You’re going to sweat a lot but that’s where the healing takes place!
If you happen to be more of a buy than a DIY person, Dr. Singha’s makes the original mustard bath soak which you can find here.
DIY Mustard Bath Soak Recipe
1 cup Epsom salt*
1/2 cup sea salt
1/3 cup organic mustard seed powder
1/4 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp. organic ginger root powder
1 tsp. organic cinnamon powder
20 drops of essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, and clove*
Instructions:
In a large jar, add everything from the Epsom salt to the essential oils. Tightly seal the lid and shake to combine all ingredients.
To Use:
As you fill your bathtub, add 1/3 – 1/2 cup of soak mix to the water. If soaking only your feet, opt for 1 heaped tbsp and add to very warm water.
Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll likely feel your body heat up but this is natural. This is how the toxins come out. If you experience discomfort, soak for less time. A longer soak is not recommended.
Afterwards, rinse yourself and the tub (to prevent stains) and be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
NOTE:
*If your Epsom salt is enhanced with essential oils already, you could skip the essential oils or reduce for your liking.
Less than two months ago I was dealing with a unique form of pain that was beginning to really inhibit my daily life. The pain was inescapable because it was on my face: along my jaw, sides of my cheeks, and stretching down into my neck and upper back. Now, this did not develop overnight but over the past year it has gradually been getting worse. I’m all about working on my body and my health by myself but this was a situation that I felt outside help was necessary.
TMJ & clenching my jaw
Let me backtrack a little and say that I believe the pain in my face started after I got my wisdom teeth removed. I did not have any complications post-procedure but I did notice the mobility of my jaw just felt different. So, I hit up my dentist to get a professional opinion. My dentist quickly shut down the idea that there could be any possible link between my wisdom teeth removal and the pain I had in my face.
I take a holistic approach with everything regarding my body and I knowit is all connected. He said I was grinding my teeth and that is why I had the tension build-up in my face. My dentist “diagnosed me” with a TMJ issue, which stands for Temporomandibular joint Syndrome. I was given a referral to a specialist 4 hours away from me but the idea of getting a retainer or physical therapy for my face did not seem appealing. I don’t want to discredit anything TMJ specialists can do but I had literally been doing at least 2 facial massage + mobility exercises a day, jade-rolling, and rubbing various high-potency essential oils on my face for months to no avail. So the issue felt deeper-rooted.
I was at a place where my face felt stiff and swollen 24/7 and simply smiling was downright uncomfortable and painful.
Given the likelihood that I had begun grinding my teeth after my wisdom teeth surgery, I began to work on releasing my jaw. I tend to clench my jaw, fists, and toes when under stress. So, that did certainly make a difference in my jaw but that would only be helpful going forward…there was still the pain that had previously formed which needed to be addressed—pain that can only be described as a constant, bothersome, tension that was deeply embedded in my body. No amount of foam rolling, stretching, and self-massages could release it.
I had been curious to try acupuncture for a while but I have always tried to cure my body on my own. Plus, I inquired about the pricing per session and my insurance was not going to cover it. I’d have to pay full price. So I sat on the idea, wondering if I could find someone else…meanwhile researching on Google how acupuncture has been used to treat TMJ.
The tipping point.
I was already living with constant swelling, a distinct heat and redness on my face, and a “tugging” feeling on the muscle down the side of my jaw. Yet, it wasn’t until I was eating dinner one day where I could hear my jaw making a clicking/popping sound. My family turned their heads in surprise. I did a few jaw exercises to see if that would help but it felt like the bones where my neck meets my jaw were coming out of place and pulling at the tendons in my neck. The sound was unsettling but the tightness and the way my bones rubbed together was worse. My jaw started to tire out and, quickly, it hurt so much I was in tears.
I ponied up and called my local acupuncturist to book an appointment. The blessed soul had availability the very next day.
I can’t speak for all acupuncturists but the way mine works is:
He takes your weight, blood pressure, pulse, and asks what has brought you in. You describe your issue and he takes you to a room to lie down on a bed for treatment.
I was seeking treatment for my face, jaw, neck, and upper back. The first session involved cups and needles but, as the sessions progressed, I would receive more needles than I would cups.
I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of this therapy but I believe cupping serves to draw out tension and the darker areas also provide a guide to the acupuncturist as to where to place needles. So, in my first treatment, I removed my shirt and got cups placed all over my back. After about 20 minutes, needles were placed at various places on my back and neck, and a needle on each of my feet. After 15 minutes, those were removed and I flipped over to have needles placed on my face, neck, hands, and feet.
It is worth stating that I didn’t feel any immediate changes to my pain and tension after the session but I did feel calmer, at ease, and I just steady. At the point of two days post-session, I can safely say about 75% of my pain was gone.
I felt dramatically different but that certainly was not enough for me to stop there. I proceeded to have weekly treatments to target my jaw and neck area. Each time, I’d go through a similar process of cups and needles. The sessions that followed were similar to my first, just with cups and needles placed in slightly different spots depending on where the pain/tension was at. As they went on, the fewer cups I needed to get because the tension I had was also lower. It felt like additional increments of that remaining 25% tension were getting alleviated each time. Even the redness and swelling were gone around session 4.
The purpose of this post is just to describe how acupuncture has helped with my TMJ and shed some light on how it helped!
I don’t yet know if I’ll need to get acupuncture for the same issue again soon or in the coming months but right now I can say that my TMJ has been greatly alleviated. Also, I noted earlier that releasing my jaw makes a difference. Well, now that the pain is largely gone, I can implement that habit and use that for preventing tension from building up as badly as it had.
FInal note: My acupuncture sessions literally became my favorite part of my week. They proved to be so relaxing (even though I had needles stuck in my skin!) that I would nearly fall asleep. Even though this alternative medicine treatment can be pricey, when you’re dealing with an issue that drastically depletes your quality of life, it is worth tending to! I’m extremely grateful to have tried this form of treatment and, if you’re dealing with TMJ or a similarly deep musculoskeletal issue, I certainly recommend giving acupuncture a try.
Life has been far from perfect—but it always is. While I can be incredibly self-motivated, I can also be the single thing that stands in my way. During this past Gemini season, I was all about unveiling my different sides. It felt like push had come to shove and if I want to uplevel, it was time for me to face the aspects of my personality that I’ve been ignoring and failing to integrate.
Today’s blog post is about my experience with emotional eating at this point in my life and how I work to pinpoint the underlying issue beyond the food.
I’ve talked about growing up with the feeling that I had separate selves. I’m still working through identifying those but many have drives attached to growth while other sides of me feel overwhelmed with self-doubt. The shadowy self, as I call it, embodies traits and insecurities that only serve to hold me back. The biggest trait that I’d see come up was emotional eating. At its smallest, it is just a petty habit that provides short-term pleasure. However, when given any power, it will prevent me from tuning into my own voice and true intuition. If I allow it to hold space, emotional eating becomes what fills my void instead of meseeking to fill it throughwhat I really want: personal development and growth!
In the past, I’ve shared a bit about some anxieties I’ve had around food. It is something I deal with on and off but recently it had been an ON issue for me. The interesting thing about emotional eating is that the hardest part is facing what’s really bothering you.
Once you know you are turning to food as a way to consolidate your emotional state, it brings you that much closer to identifying why you’re doing it.
Emotional eating is different from disordered eating.
While the two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, they do have some overlap. Before going any further, let’s be clear about the fact that eating is a basic need for everyone. So, where problems arise is not due to the act of eating itself, it’s the thoughts and behaviors surrounding eating.
Emotional eating is defined as eating that comes in response to negative affections. Oftentimes, stressful situations or fluctuating moods can be instigators for one to reach for food as a coping mechanism.
Disordered eating is a bit more complex to define but it involves frequent behaviors, thoughts, and habits about food which severely impact the functionality of a person’s life. Many people can have disordered eating habits but only the severity to which they impact livelihood is a strong enough determinant of the existence of a problem and possible eating disorder.
I think I’ve had issues with disordered eating before I ever even recognized my own emotional eating patterns. Google has certainly received a fair amount of my “What classifies an eating disorder?” types of questions. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my holistic approach to nutrition, it is that labeling a disorder or illness isn’t the answer. The thing to target is the WHY behind the symptoms.
The way I personally gauge when I have a problem with emotional eating is when I frequently eat way past the point of simply satisfying hunger or pleasure. And yes, it is totally okay to eat out of pleasure! Food is meant to be enjoyed. Eating out of pleasure only becomes problematic when food becomes the main and/or only source of pleasure.
I compensated for my discomfort in self-growth by turning to food.
I realized, through some To Be Magnetic Shadow work, that my emotional eating tendencies come from being afraid to be seen and challenge myself. It’s cringe-y for me to admit that but it’s even more uncomfortable to think of some occasions when I consume a ridiculous amount of nut butter spoonfuls in one sitting (my vice!) and make myself sick. Or the nights I’ve gone to bed with a full, and painfully distended belly because I had a binge.
I was scared to be out of my house around meal times. If I was, I needed to have snacks on me at all times. I obsessively planned what my meals would be in my head. Heck, my money management app even shows that the food and groceries are where the largest chunk of $$ goes. Again, I don’t think caring about what you eat, planning meals, or packing snacks are bad things. I do think each person has different boundaries regarding that.
You need to disseminate if you are controlling when you think about food or if you’re feeling controlled by thoughts about food and eating.
So, that’s precisely what I did. In Shadow work, we ask, how is this keeping you small? I needed to find out what it was covering up.
To do so, I’d ask myself questions like:
What am I not facing?
What person/situation/thing brought this on?
What feeling am I trying to avoid feeling?
I’ve nailed down what I see as two main reasons why I have engaged in emotional and disordered eating behaviors.
A) I was sad or downtrodden about something in my life so I turned to food as a “happy” distraction.
B) The moment something seemed to be on the rise for me, I felt nervous about the changes and resorted to food. At this time in my life the latter reason is what had been affecting me most.
In my case, I had the desire for growth but was limiting the amount of rope to climb up (aka GROW) by holding onto bad habits. I use the term “bad” not to diminish the value of food or eating out of pleasure. Rather, the emotional eating is bad for me because the way I was approaching food was really hindering progression of my life.
Once I identified the habit that was keeping me small, it was time to work through it.
Is it within my control to change?
What small action can I take to rise above the patterns?
Or if it feels like I’m sailing through uncontrollable tides, I ask if these things I’m pursuing are truly what I want?
Am I putting undo pressure on myself to fulfill some *expectation* or is this slightly discomforting thing just a step toward that thing I really want?
Is there a way I can chunk it down so it isn’t as overwhelming?
Many times I find that when the thought of doing something or being with a certain person stresses me out beyond comprehension it is a sign that whatever it is does not speak to my AUTHENTICITY.
I mean, yeah, we can go into a panic when we do something new because we are nervous. However, there is a difference between simply being anxious and legitimately going against your natural path. The life and actions I was trying to follow before were not right for me and every cell in my body was just screaming NO. That’s why I resorted to old habits and that’s why I turned to food as a distraction.
I notice when I say that something is “weighing on me” it often literally feels like there is a weight IN me, too.
The weight is resistance. It is the culmination of old habits ready to be let go of and clinging on for dear life. These aren’t the sort of things that go away overnight. Patterns that have been conditioned out of comfort rarely are. The things that once weren’t a problem can become a problem if abused. Just know that if you can identify it, you can also change it.
The behaviors and parts of myself that I was forced to face in recent time were signaling to me that I was off my path. Once I let go of the habits holding me back, I had room to see what I really wanted for myself and my life moving forward.
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