Embrace Your Cravings
We all have cravings. Yet we are fed by media that we need to stop, conquer, avoid, fight, and numb out to our cravings. What we resist persists. If we continue to fight our cravings, try to deny their existence, or try to make them go away they will only increase in their intensity. Cravings have a message to offer. They are showing up for a reason. We can befriend our cravings and explore what insights and wisdom they have to provide.
The next time a craving is present, here are some steps you can explore to embrace the presence of your craving.
Pause. The more pauses we take, the more awareness we can cultivate of what is present for us emotionally and physically. When we are aware of what is arising for us, we release any internal battle of fighting what is. When we accept whatever is present that is when our cravings can decrease in their intensity. Additionally, when we pause, we give ourselves the opportunity to assess what actions are going to feel most supportive.
Get Curious. In our pauses, we can explore what does this craving have to teach me? Am I actually craving what my brain is telling me I’m craving or do I really need a hug, or a nap, or to call a friend for some connection? When we get curious, our craving can lose its potency as we explore what would be the most loving acts we could engage in within that moment.
Allow. Let the craving just be there. Don’t try and change it. Don’t try and make it go away. You can observe your craving like waves of the ocean. They ebb and flow and often do not keep increasing in their intensity but actually decrease in their ferocity with time. In that space of allowance, we can observe the transient nature of our cravings and that with time they will dissipate and go away on their own.
Trust. Whatever you decide to nourish your body with, you get to trust that was exactly what your body needed. No guilt. No judgment. No shame. You can trust in your choices. You are always making the best decisions you can for yourself with the awareness you have in any moment. When we trust in the choices we are making we cultivate a deeper relationship with ourselves where we can meet ourselves with compassion and empathy no matter what decisions we make.
You can practice being with your cravings again and again. Remember to be gentle with yourself on this journey. If you’re ever desiring more support on this path, reach out anytime.