Permission Slips
A couple of days ago my grocery delivery was over an hour late. When the driver finally arrived, I asked how he was doing. It was brutal out there even at 10 am, and they were running significantly behind after a warehouse fridge breakdown knocked everything out of kilter..
He said his office had told them: don’t rush, it’s too hot, drink plenty, be gentle on yourselves.
And I thought: good. I’m glad. That’s exactly right.
Then I thought: why does it take a heatwave?
Why does there have to be an external, measurable, undeniable reason that affects everyone before we’re allowed to ease up on ourselves? The heat is visible. Quantifiable. Everyone agrees it’s real. So the permission feels legitimate. Justified. Nobody’s going to argue with 35 degrees.
But what about every other day? Where nothing that affects everyone is happening. The days when you’re tired for no dramatic reason, or anxious about something that feels vague but very much in your body, or you’re just running on less than you’d like. Those days don’t come with a permission slip. So most of us don’t give ourselves one.
I see this constantly in the people I work with. The sense that softness toward yourself requires a reason good enough to hold up under scrutiny. That rest needs to be earned. That eating what your body wants and needs, being kind to yourself, easing up – these feel like indulgences unless something external forces the issue.
The grocery driver was allowed to be human that day because the temperature said so. You get to be human on any day you choose, no extreme conditions required.
Hi, I'm Vania.
I'm passionate about helping you break free from the exhausting cycle of yo-yo dieting, body shame, overeating, bingeing, and emotional eating.
For decades, I was at war with my body and food. It wasn't until I found an approach which didn't involve strict rules, diets and a focus on weight, that my relationship with food and my body transformed into one of ease and peace. There’s a lightness in living when food no longer holds power over your thoughts. If you're seeking that kind of freedom — where food becomes simple and life feels full — I’d love to walk that journey with you.
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