1302: How to Stop Weighing Yourself Down with Emotional Junk Food by Laura Coe with Tiny Buddha

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Work Daily, Episode 1302.

[00:00:03] How to Stop Weighing Yourself Down with Emotional Junk Food by Laura Ko with tinybuddha.com.

[00:00:10] And I am Dan.

[00:00:11] I am your personal narrator here and I'm with you every single day of the year,

[00:00:15] reading from these great blogs that cover jobs, work-life balance,

[00:00:19] starting your own business, and so much more.

[00:00:22] So let's get to it now as we hear from Laura Ko and optimize your life.

[00:00:30] How to Stop Weighing Yourself Down with Emotional Junk Food by Laura Ko with tinybuddha.com.

[00:00:37] Quote, Everything in the universe is within you.

[00:00:41] Ask all from yourself.

[00:00:43] End quote.

[00:00:44] Rumi, I want to feel better.

[00:00:47] Who doesn't?

[00:00:49] Yoga makes me feel better most of the time,

[00:00:51] but if I'm being totally honest, I don't always choose the healthy option.

[00:00:55] In fact, sometimes I pick the worst thing for me.

[00:00:58] For me, a plate of barbecue wings really hits the spot.

[00:01:02] That is until a few hours later when the salt and protein load kicks in and I feel terrible.

[00:01:07] Again, while I may oscillate between healthy and unhealthy choices for my body,

[00:01:12] I know how to get fit through gyms, diet programs, and physicians.

[00:01:16] But what about my steady diet of junk food thoughts?

[00:01:19] How do I stop consuming them and focus on a healthier emotional diet?

[00:01:24] Junk food thoughts.

[00:01:26] Everyone knows about the negative effects of an unhealthy lifestyle,

[00:01:29] but no one teaches us about the negative health effects of our thoughts.

[00:01:33] Worry, stress, anxiety, guilt, shame, and fear are the potato chips, processed foods,

[00:01:39] and chocolate cake of our emotional life.

[00:01:42] As satisfying as they may feel in the moment, their negative effects are just as toxic.

[00:01:47] And like we have particular food cravings, we have particular thought cravings.

[00:01:52] My First Emotional Cleanse

[00:01:55] I built a healthcare company and sold it to a fortune 500 11 years later.

[00:01:59] In 2006, I made the decision to change my career and pursue a path toward my passions.

[00:02:04] As I attempted to discover my true desires, I came face-to-face with my emotional junk food and its effects.

[00:02:11] I felt terrible. I felt weighed down and I could not figure out why.

[00:02:15] Like my craving for a plate of barbecue wings,

[00:02:18] I craved certain thoughts when I faced the decision to leave my job, such as,

[00:02:23] I cannot leave. I have to keep my job. What am I going to do all day?

[00:02:28] I'm going to be so bored.

[00:02:30] I went from $15,000 a year to an executive salary and stock options. Who leaves that?

[00:02:36] My parents will never understand or support this decision.

[00:02:39] There is something else out there for me.

[00:02:41] And what if I'm wrong and this decision destroys everything I've worked for?

[00:02:46] The thoughts that I was unaware of were as toxic as the foods I know to avoid.

[00:02:51] The thought, a single sentence, stood in the way of the life I desired.

[00:02:55] How to stop consuming unhealthy thoughts

[00:02:59] 1. Tune into your thoughts

[00:03:02] You can't stop the negative effects of these thoughts without awareness of their existence.

[00:03:06] What are your go-to junk food thoughts?

[00:03:08] What do you tell yourself when you consider changing a relationship,

[00:03:11] a job or any other important area of your life?

[00:03:14] What is the exact language?

[00:03:17] Just like you may love a certain brand of chocolate or a certain type of potato chip,

[00:03:21] you will have exact language for your emotional craving.

[00:03:24] 2. Accept their destructive effects on your health

[00:03:28] One sentence can stand between you and your goals.

[00:03:31] A sentence, a set of words, becomes a belief.

[00:03:35] This belief will drive your actions.

[00:03:37] As simple as this is in concept,

[00:03:39] in practice changing a few words can change your life.

[00:03:43] If you change the belief, you can change your actions.

[00:03:46] In my case, removing one sentence,

[00:03:48] I can't leave my job, changed my life.

[00:03:51] 3. Trade in your junk food thoughts for nutritious thoughts

[00:03:55] What nutritious foods do you like?

[00:03:58] Kale, salads, smoothies, veggies and hummus.

[00:04:02] Likewise, what nutritional thoughts do you like?

[00:04:05] Replace junk food thoughts with nutritional thoughts

[00:04:07] and free yourself to pursue your dreams.

[00:04:10] Some examples of nutritional thoughts include

[00:04:12] Are you avoidant?

[00:04:14] Today, I will step forward.

[00:04:16] I believe in my abilities.

[00:04:18] I'm ready.

[00:04:19] I will take one action a day until I complete my goal.

[00:04:22] Are you angry with someone?

[00:04:24] Today, I will have compassion.

[00:04:26] Anger is poison.

[00:04:28] When others hurt me, they are in pain and I have tapped into my pain.

[00:04:32] I don't personalize other people's pain.

[00:04:34] Are you holding on to resentments?

[00:04:36] Today, I will let go.

[00:04:38] Resentments have no value.

[00:04:40] Letting go does not mean I accept this person into my life.

[00:04:43] I am not a victim.

[00:04:45] Are you always behind and do your lists have lists?

[00:04:48] Today, I choose me.

[00:04:50] I will schedule one thing for myself today.

[00:04:53] A massage, a manicure, a workout or a quiet room with a book.

[00:04:57] This is my life.

[00:04:59] I drive the choices I make with my time,

[00:05:01] even if it doesn't feel like it.

[00:05:03] I wanted to leave my job and step into a career

[00:05:05] that was more aligned with my passion.

[00:05:07] One day, I discovered my problem

[00:05:09] was not the mundane details involved in changing jobs.

[00:05:12] It was the deep craving for my destructive thoughts.

[00:05:15] This time, I reached for a healthier option.

[00:05:18] It is my right to follow my passions.

[00:05:20] I am going to write, even if it's not perfect.

[00:05:23] I trust that my path will become clear,

[00:05:25] even if it is not obvious now.

[00:05:27] And with these simple sentences,

[00:05:29] I changed my career and found the passion in my life

[00:05:32] that I really craved.

[00:05:34] I still struggle to make healthy choices,

[00:05:36] but now I understand that I have to forgo

[00:05:38] my favorite barbecue wings

[00:05:40] and my favorite junk food thoughts.

[00:05:46] You just listened to the post titled

[00:05:48] How to Stop Weighing Yourself Down with Emotional Junk Food

[00:05:51] by Laura Koh with tinybudda.com

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[00:08:08] Get started today.

[00:08:10] And I want to give a big thanks to Laura

[00:08:12] for sharing this post today.

[00:08:14] Laura Coe is an entrepreneur, author and certified coach

[00:08:18] working to help you find fulfillment one day at a time

[00:08:21] through daily emotional workout routines.

[00:08:23] Laura co-founded Litholink Corporation

[00:08:25] and as she alluded to in the post,

[00:08:28] sold it to a Fortune 500 company.

[00:08:30] Then she left corporate America to pursue lifelong passions.

[00:08:33] Her first book, Emotional Obesity, is now available.

[00:08:36] And also we want to thank Lori who runs Tiny Buddha,

[00:08:39] a site that has been helping people heal,

[00:08:41] grow and find peace since 2009.

[00:08:44] The site features stories and insights

[00:08:46] from people of all ages from all over the globe.

[00:08:49] For daily wisdom you can follow Tiny Buddha

[00:08:51] on Twitter and Facebook at Tiny Buddha

[00:08:53] and Instagram at Tiny Buddha official.

[00:08:56] Or subscribe to the blog at tinybuddha.com

[00:08:59] and be sure to check out their inner strength journal,

[00:09:02] Creative Prompts and Challenges

[00:09:04] to help you get through anything which is available on Amazon.

[00:09:07] Also you should know that content from Tiny Buddha

[00:09:10] is featured across pretty much all of our podcasts

[00:09:12] here in our network.

[00:09:14] So again a big thank you to Laura

[00:09:16] and do come by tinybuddha.com for much more.

[00:09:19] And I want to thank you as well

[00:09:21] for being a subscriber or follower.

[00:09:23] I hope you have a great day out there

[00:09:25] and I'll see you back here tomorrow

[00:09:27] where your optimal life awaits.