Putting My Oxygen Mask on First – What Are You Really Craving?

“When a craving doesn’t come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it.”

On the way home from my favorite client’s funeral service, I stopped to pick up dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Whole Foods. I’m not sure if it’s because they are now made from cheaper ingredients, I’m more connected with my body from meditating, and/or I now go for many days without eating any artificial sweeteners or sugars (other than occurs naturally in whole fruits or veggies), but they really didn’t taste that great. And I found myself wondering, what am I supposed to do with all of these feelings that I’m experiencing if I can’t drown them with dark chocolate caramel??

I believe I experienced the creamy joy of caramel at a very young age – because I remember making a friend named Carl on vacation when I was around 3 (partially because he had such a yummy name). I may crave dark chocolate caramel because that reminds me of a time when I was still an only child and the center of attention for my parents. So it is natural that when I’m experiencing loss and sadness, that I may be craving caramel to try to recapture that time when I was the center of my parent’s world.

Yesterday, when I really wanted to take care of some emotional and physical issues that my daughter was facing, I reached for the macadamia nuts. Sure, they are a healthier choice, but I wasn’t eating them because of a deficit in healthy fats.

I am interested in tapping, and found a video where a practitioner was using tapping to help someone work past a Diet Coke craving. What I really appreciated about this video was how she helped the woman explore the complexities of what she was really craving to be aware of the emotional connections.

As I experience cravings, I am gradually unpacking what needs I’m really trying to fill, so that I can find healthier alternatives. The next time you are struggling with a craving, pause to think about what you are truly craving.