by KimMcLaughlin | Oct 12, 2018 | Lifestyle, Podcast
Did you know that “Yes” is a complete sentence? We can get stuck wondering what the best avenue is and we enter into the realm of maybe. Should I look for a new job, because I am unhappy where I am? Maybe. Do you want to move to a house that better fits my needs? Maybe. This can be a huge sticking point and we can remain stuck for years.
Kari was an elementary school teacher. She loved her students, but she didn’t find her job fulfilling any longer. As a teenager, she’d always dreamed of traveling around the world and writing novels on her laptop.
She wanted more freedom in her personal and professional life, but she worried. She was afraid of what would happen if she really did start chasing her dreams. She doubted she had the ability to make her dream a reality. She wondered what everyone around her would think if she quit her job and wrote instead.
Kari was stuck in a rut, afraid to say “yes” to her best life. She lived in the “maybe someday” mindset. Possibly you can relate. You spend years daydreaming about what you want your life to look like. Instead of acting, you tuck your dream away quietly and get back to your ordinary world. But before you do that, here are three simple reasons you should lean into your yes…
Reason #1: New Discoveries Are Waiting
Everything you love right now was once an unknown. Your favorite ice cream flavor, your favorite movie, your favorite makeup—all of these things were once unknown to you. But you didn’t let that stop you and tried them anyway.
When you say yes to new discoveries, you learn more about what you like and love. You took a chance and made a bold decision. This doesn’t mean you’ll love the results of every yes you go after. Sometimes, you’ll simply discover what you don’t like. That’s an important discovery, too.
Reason #2: Personal Growth Doesn’t Happen in Your Safety Zone
For some people, saying ‘no’ is an automatic response. You say ‘no’ to that new project even though you know it could lead to a promotion. You say ‘no’ to healthy foods even though you know it could lead to more energy.
Saying maybe, someday, I don’t know is the same as saying no.
Personal growth never happens inside your safety zone. If you really want to make a difference and change your life, then you have to be willing to do things you’ve never done before. You have to be willing to say yes even when the future feels scary and uncertain.
Reason #3: Say Yes to Learning New Things
Besides growing into your best self, saying yes helps you learn new things. You might say yes to the chance to host a party and discover you love being a hostess. You could say yes to a giving a presentation at work and find out you love public speaking.
What you learn won’t be just limited to your personality though. You’ll also learn more about your relationships, your finances, your health, and so many other areas of your life. Maybe a new dance class makes you realize how supportive your partner is. Maybe an unexpected road trip with an aging parent gives insight into how your mom grew up.
Saying yes can be the beginning of a beautiful new adventure. But don’t feel you have to start out by tackling something big like changing your job or moving to a different country. Instead, start with something small like taking a new class or reaching out to form new friendships. The more you say yes to little things the easier it will become to say yes to the big things.
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a licensed psychotherapist and a motivational coach who works with people who suffer from emotional eating, body image issues, self-esteem and binge eating. She is passionate about helping people feed their soul and put food in its proper place as nourishment. Kim has been a speaker for many groups and she enjoys sharing the message that you can look at food differently. You can find out more about Kim plus get access to her monthly free calls and her Free Report: Top Strategies to End Binge Eating at www.FeedYourSoulUnlimited.com
by KimMcLaughlin | Feb 8, 2018 | Holidays, Self-Love
February is the month we look to celebrate our love for another person. Often we focus so much on how we show love to someone else, it makes me wonder how loving we are towards ourselves. One of the most popular blogs on my website is one where I ask the reader to consider whether they are too helpful towards others. I think people click on that blog article because they think they are giving too much and they do not have time or energy to take care of themselves.
Today, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, focus on showing loving kindness to yourself. Put some of the love you intend to give to another back to yourself. How long has it been a long time since you have done something for yourself? If you cannot remember the last time you took care of yourself, take a moment to contemplate it now. Consider this an invitation to nurture yourself. It really is a necessity to take care of you first and foremost.
My motto is, “I am no good for others if I am not good to myself.” Consider this motto a requirement, if not a necessity.
To start, you can ask yourself, “What would I do today if I was really acting in a loving manner towards myself?” What can you do, starting today, to take care of you? If you have no ideas- let me give you some:
- Get physical. Go for a hike, a walk at lunch time, bike ride, or go to a yoga class. Being active gets the endorphins going and just makes you feel good.
- Play hooky from your normal activity. I love to take the afternoon off to go to the movies. It is so nurturing to break away from our routine.
- Spend time alone: Go to a local coffee shop, listen to a podcast, read a book or a special magazine.
- Get creative: Go visit a local art gallery or museum to get inspired filled up with beauty.
- Be restful: Take a nap, sleep in a little later.
Imagine how it would feel to start caring for yourself now. If you feel overwhelmed even thinking about taking care of yourself, take it slow. If you have no idea what you can do to take care of yourself, I have a simple trick. Think back on a time in the past, when you were younger and you did take care of yourself. What did you do then? Get that image in your head consider how good it felt. If the memory of it makes you feel good- Do That!
In honor of Valentine’s Day spend some time treating yourself with loving kindness. It will instill feelings of joy and happiness in you that you might have been missing for a while.
What is your answer to the question “What would I do today if I was really acting in a loving manner towards myself?” I would love to hear your answer below in the comments.
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping people with eating issues and eating disorders. She is a counselor in Roseville and the greater Sacramento CA area. If you are concerned that about overeating, weight or your use of food in general please contact her here.
Be sure to sign up for her FREE Top Tips to End Emotional Eating here. Check out her website at www.FeedYourSoulTherapy.com.
by KimMcLaughlin | Feb 8, 2018 | Podcast
How is creativity a feeling?
Find out on my lively interview with Charr Crail.
You can find Charr Crail at www.CharrCrail.com.
She is a wonderful photographer, teacher and creative person.
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Counselor and Motivational Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. Kim is a counselor in Roseville and the greater Sacramento CA area. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discover Your Inspiration.
Kim McLaughlin has been identified as writing one of the Top 50 Blogs about Emotional Eating by the Institute on Emotional Eating. Sign up for her free Special Report: Top Strategies to End Emotional Eating here.
by KimMcLaughlin | Feb 8, 2018 | Podcast
Do you find you are an emotional eater?
There is hope and there is help. Check out this video to help you decide if counseling might help you.
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping people with eating issues and eating disorders. She provides counseling services in the Roseville and greater Sacramento CA area. If you are concerned that about overeating, weight or your use of food in general please contact her here.
Sign up for her FREE Top Tips to End Emotional Eating here. Check out her website at www.FeedYourSoulTherapy.com.
What is your biggest question about emotional eating? Post it in the comment section below.
by KimMcLaughlin | May 18, 2017 | Podcast
I have a confession to make. I tend to eat fast, no matter how hungry I am. I have not really focused on changing this behavior, because I have learned to adapt to it by putting less on my plate (so I do not end up overeating). I know the importance of eating slowing: so our mind can catch up with our body sensation of fullness (satiety). I have heard from many nutritionists it takes 20 minutes for our brain to register we are full.
Carpe Diem
I did not notice I ate fast, until my family pointed out that I often finish eating earlier than they do. Along with putting less on my plate, to ensure I do not overeat, I have learned to not put any more on my plate until the 20 minutes has passed. I can then make the decision to eat more due to my physical hunger. I would like to eat slower, since I do know that I can then feel my fullness and not overeat. This is a process, a journey for me, just like it can be for you too.
I know (in my head) all of the benefits of eating more slowly:
- You can tend to eat less.
- You know when you are full more easily.
- You have time to consider what you are eating and how it is making your body feel.
- You can then have more interesting conversations with people at your table.
So, I am on a mission, for myself, to slow down my eating. I thought you might have a similar desire.
This is my plan to help me accomplish my goal.
- I will still put less than what I think I want to eat plate (as I have always done), knowing that I can still have more, if I am still hungry.
- I will continue to not eat in the car or in front of the tv. I gave that up a long time ago, since that the places where lots of mindless eating can happen.
- I will take a bite put my fork down, chew and then pick up my fork again. This can help me to slow down.
- I will take sips of water during my meal to slow me down.
- I will start my meals affirming I eat at a slow pace.
Eating slower is part of mindfulness during eating. Mindfulness is one of the six components to an Emotional Eating Solution. The other components: food, emotions, thoughts, lifestyle, body image/self-worth create the six components you need to have in alignment to have peace with food. I find it interesting that food is only one of the six components and the other five are the areas that can lead us to overeat.
I want you to see that this is a journey to be more accountable with food behavior, mine included. I will check back in with you to tell you how it is going. I find stating what I am doing to others helps me to hold myself accountable and reminds me to be more mindful.
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Counselor and Motivational Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor.
Kim is the author of the Amazon #1 Best Selling Book Discover Your Inspiration. Check it out here.
Kim McLaughlin has been identified as writing one of the Top 50 Blogs about Emotional Eating by the Institute on Emotional Eating. Sign up for her free Special Report: Top Strategies to End Binge Eating here or visit her website at www.FeedYourSoulUnlimited.com.
teenager, she’d always dreamed of traveling around the world and writing novels on her laptop. 
Kim McLaughlin, MA is a licensed psychotherapist and a motivational coach who works with people who suffer from emotional eating, body image issues, self-esteem and binge eating. She is passionate about helping people feed their soul and put food in its proper place as nourishment. Kim has been a speaker for many groups and she enjoys sharing the message that you can look at food differently. You can find out more about Kim plus get access to her monthly free calls and her Free Report: Top Strategies to End Binge Eating at www.FeedYourSoulUnlimited.com
loving we are towards ourselves. One of the most 
