My husband knows he is my number three. It’s been our couple’s joke for as long as we’ve been together, over 40 years (yes, we met very young). He has teased me for years about my love for “Mr. Coffee” (my number one) and “Mr. Sun” (my number two), and knows he is absolutely next.
My affair with coffee is a long one, and I never thought it would end. I tried to end it several times which didn’t last long and not only was I miserable but everyone around me was also miserable. I tried getting caffeine from other beverages, I tried other non-coffee beverages that taste a little like coffee, but none of these lasted. I mean, I really love the taste of coffee, no sugar, no lightener, the more robust the better (black espresso in a mug, thank you). I came to a place of acceptance that it was really fine to enjoy my coffee.
Recently I consulted with an ayurvedic practitioner about some digestive issues I had been having on and off for a couple of years. I was experiencing a great deal of belly distention and did not seem to be tolerating most of the foods I was eating. It was distressing. I knew there was a chance I would be told to moderate my coffee intake. I had been told this before by other ayurvedic practitioners as coffee is seen as a digestion disrupter in ayurveda. In my previous experiences I was given ways to make the coffee more digestible which honestly only lasted a short time before I gravitated back to my habit of many years.
This time was different.
I had been receiving intuitive messages during my morning meditations for a few months. Whenever I asked for guidance about the digestive issues I received the answer “stop with the coffee”. Of course I heard it but did not listen. Energetically I was working with chakras (energy centers) involved with digestion and had been focusing on my solar plexus which is related to our digestive power. One day I received an intuitive message that I was emphasizing the wrong chakra and to focus on the Sacral chakra (lower abdomen) which is related to Flow and this proved to be an important guidance which was confirmed by my ayurvedic practitioner.
As I write this post, I am four weeks out of my affair with coffee. And my digestive issues seem to be resolving. My friends will. be. shocked.
Why am I telling you this story about breaking up with coffee?
This breakup has taught me a lot of things, some of which I will share with you:
- I had to be uncomfortable enough to do whatever it takes to feel better, including breaking up with Mr. Coffee
- I had to be ready to hear the messages from those trying to help me
- I used interoceptive awareness (the awareness of inner body sensations, involving the sensory process of receiving, accessing, and appraising internal bodily signals) to evaluate and track the changes I experienced after the break-up
- I needed something just as satisfying to replace what I was no longer having
- I needed to have the energy of curiosity and openness to see where this change would lead me
These lessons reminded me of you.
Because you may be contemplating doing something for yourself that you’ve tried before but didn’t have success with. Like breaking up with dieting and your scale.
Because you may want to feel better about your relationship with food and your body but you have been returning to your old habits.
Because you’ve been receiving little intuitive messages telling you that the diet roller coaster is not the way to heal your relationship with food but you don’t know what is the way to heal.
If you are…..
uncomfortable and ready to hear what your helpers (me!) will share with you
looking for something delicious to fall in love with instead of what you are currently eating or drinking that is zapping your energy
curious to learn what messages your body has to teach you
open and curious to see how making certain changes will shift things in a big way for you
Email wellness@melissapickell.com to schedule your Discovery Call and get started.
