Apparently, we have 60,000 thoughts a day.
That’s a lot of observation, interpretation, assessment, opinion, conclusion.
And those thoughts create how we feel. And how we feel is everything.
Feeling are such a significant part of what we do and why we do it. It may be as simple as doing something to feel good or to stop feeling bad, or as complex as trying to protect against an old wound or painful memory. If you ask ‘why’ enough times, it always comes back to a feeling.
So often, binge eating is an attempt to feel. It could be seeking a feeling of relief, comfort, nurture, relaxation, escape, happiness, a moment of calm. Or it could be to avoid a feeling of stress, irritation, restlessness, loneliness, rejection, anger, overwhelm or unworthiness.
So how do we become aware of these gazillions of thoughts that cause the way we feel? That form such a key piece of the binge eating puzzle.
When I was seven years old, a friend of mine lived on a farm. We used to play in the summer and chase butterflies. There were so many and they were beautiful. We often caught one or two, in a net or in our hands. We couldn’t catch all the butterflies, just a few.
Thoughts are like butterflies. You can\’t catch them all, but you can catch one or two. Take a look at them, see where they take you. Then let them go again.
A wonderful way to start is to open to noticing what\’s coming up for you. Which fluttering butterfly is drawing your attention?
When you\’ve ‘caught\’ it, notice how it makes you feel. If you\’re not quite sure, start with glad, sad, mad or bad.
This is such deep work. Eventually, it will change everything. If you continue on the journey.
See if you can catch a thought-butterfly. What is it showing you?