Is The Economic Crisis Driving You To The Fridge?

Economy . . . Two Wars . . . Plunging Stock Market . . .The Great Depression . . . How do these words make you feel? Do you find yourself cringing when you hear such dire news and predictions for the future? As much as words have the power to hurt us, to lower our energy level and cause us to suffer, by the same token, words have a tremendous power to heal.

This is a difficult time for many of us. If you are an emotional eater, you may feel particularly trapped in a negative cycle due to the state of the world today. While in the past, it may have been easier to “block out” world events, now the unpleasant effects of some of our decisions as a human race, are increasingly impossible to get away from.
You would have to virtually live in a bubble not to be effected by the fear, worry, and anxiety that is plaguing our country at the present time.

So how do you react to uncertainty and loss? Do you tend to reach for the refrigerator – fueled by fears that there won’t be enough? Do you react physically with headaches or a knot in your stomach—and then focus on these ailments? Or are you overcome with lethargy, hopelessness or fatigue, turning to food to boost your energy?

Though any of the above responses are certainly common, they only perpetuate a negative state. So even though the recent chain of events in world history may be spurring you to positive action on the outside—caring for the needs of your family, getting involved politically or working to help those less fortunate than yourself—if you are being torn apart on the inside, it is likely that you will effect your own ability to stay healthy and steady, as you move forward.

The underlying reason why we often turn to food to soothe our emotions, aside from the habit of doing so since childhood and perhaps learning to reach for food mindlessly from within our environment, is because we have the positive intention to comfort ourselves, relax, and giving ourselves love and nurturance. Unfortunately, despite having such noble goals, the act of eating to comfort oneself only leads down a road of increased pain.

So how can you comfort yourself and stay calm during such trying times? On a physical level, take care of yourself! Make sure that you are drinking plenty of pure water, getting lots of physical exercise and eating healthy, nourishing unprocessed food, from the earth, as much as possible. Also make sure to balance your intake of protein, complex carbohydrate and healthy fat (olive oil) with lots of fresh vegetables.

On an emotional level, what is it that you are truly craving when you reach for the sugar-laden or greasy treats, or when you are just eating excessive amounts of food, in general?
Most likely you are seeking love, comfort, safety, control, peace and relaxation.
Unfortunately, there’s no amount of food that can satisfy these genuine needs that we all have. How can you comfort yourself emotionally, in a healthy way?

There are some physical steps that you can take to quell emotions, as well. For example, instead of rushing through your day—going from one activity to the next, mindlessly, slow down even if it’s just a little bit. Notice your breathing and make the shift from rapid, shallow breathing, to deep, slow abdominal breathing, as much as possible. Even just becoming aware of your breathing without attempting to change it, can be incredibly healing. That’s because as soon as you become conscious of your breath, it automatically becomes slower, steadier and more even, without any conscious effort on your part.
The body wants to maintain a state of balance, so all we need to do is open our awareness. Take time to stretch your muscles as much as possible, throughout the day, even by doing small physical movements such as tensing and relaxing your muscles.

The body and mind are intricately connected. When you make an adjustment in your breathing or posture, the emotions are affected. So make a decision to put your shoulders back, hold your head up high and put a big, fake smile on your lips. You will find that it’s difficult to maintain a depressing thought while you hold this posture.

Now, remember the power of words I was speaking of? Nothing can cause your shoulders to slump and your head to hang low faster than contemplating phrases such as, “a devastating economic blow,” “a stalled economy,” “a trillion dollar deficit that keeps growing,” “escalating health-care costs,” etc. If these concerns cause you to get motivated to help the world in the unique way that you are able, then they have served a wonderful purpose. But if they are causing you sleepless nights, binge-eating attacks, or physical symptoms such as migraines or neck pain, then you need to “fight-back” with the same weapon, or in this case healer—words!

How do you feel when you contemplate words such as safety, love, beauty, truth, peace, calm, love, generosity, warmth, life, holiness, sacredness, strength, comfort, friendliness, compassion and infinite freedom? Allow yourself to contemplate each of the words above. The reason words have such power over us is because they are not just words. Every word has the power to evoke an image and these images create feelings. The result is when we hear certain words, particularly when they are spoken, either internally or externally, with a certain tonality, we feel either good or bad, to one degree or another.

You can’t not conjure up a picture when you are impacted by someone’s words or your own thoughts. If I utter the phrase “pink elephant” what comes to mind for you? Exactly, that! So you may think that you are innocently watching the news without much emotional attachment—perhaps you are not personally invested in the stock market at this time—but the words and the tone of fear are bound to effect you. As human beings, we are made up of energy and this energy travels . . . so if you are surrounded with the energy of fear, it would be very difficult not to be effected by this vibration of doubt.

The good news is that you also have the potential to lift your vibration by surrounding yourself with more positive people, and filling your own heart and mind, with thoughts that uplift you and give you hope. Since we are all connected at the level of energy, by doing so, you would automatically be effecting the people around you in a positive, healing way.

It takes a conscious decision to lift your own vibration. The first thing to do is turn off the News. Next look inside your own mind and heart and see the places that are blocked by negative predictions about the present and future. Let the words that are infiltrating your awareness become conscious. Perhaps you’ll notice the thoughts, “lower home values,” or “no money for education,” or “no jobs.” Now imagine that these thoughts were written in your mental field in black ink. Shrink the words and the pictures they conjure up for you down and move them outside of your body . . . Then take a moment and allow words of hope and comfort to come to you. Imagine that you are now resting in a cloud of love and safety. Perhaps the words, “Loving,” and “Patience,” enter your awareness. Allow the deepest meaning of these words to fill you with light and safety and with connection to the most healing power in the Universe. If there is an image of that healing power for you, allow it to come to you and fill every cell of your body. Bask in the idea, “I am a magnificent, resilient person.” Allow images that confirm how resilient you truly are to infiltrate your body and mind. Feel the gratitude for all the help you have been given in your life, thus far—and for the people who have truly been angels for you.

In this time of uncertainty, we must have faith that something better is emerging for us. Words have the power to destroy and they have the capacity to build us up and take us to a whole new way of thinking about ourselves and our world. If you find yourself responding to events by hurting yourself in any way, immediately command yourself to STOP. Be firm but also gentle and loving with yourself. Let go of any judgments about past actions you have taken, and in this moment, realize what you are truly craving. . . Love, Safety, Courage . . . Hope. Give yourself what you are truly needing. As you raise your own level of energy in this way . . . you are now making a vital contribution to all of us by becoming part of the solution. . . . and you are paving the way for a much, brighter, more desirable outcome.

By: Rena Greenberg