Travel.
It can be exhilarating—the anticipation of seeing the unknown, experiencing something new and different, meeting people from other cultures, and exploring landscapes that are strange, unfamiliar, and magnificent.
But travel can also be hard.
It can be exhausting. It can test your patience and your temperament. It can bring out your fears, stretch your boundaries, and push you far beyond your comfort zone.
Reflecting on my own experience traveling to Switzerland last week, I found myself especially grateful that eating was not an added burden to an already challenging journey into the unknown.
Recently, I received a follow-up message from a client I worked with several years ago. She has since graduated from college and is now traveling for both pleasure and work. She shared that she was overwhelmed with joy because food and fear were no longer defining or limiting her experiences.
Here is part of what she wrote:
“It's been almost 3 years since my last appointment with Dr. Hicks. I truly would not be where I am today without her support. She was a patient, kind, and understanding presence in my recovery—something that has been neither easy nor linear. She offered practical guidance that helped me keep moving forward, and even after we stopped meeting, I found myself returning to her words often. As more time has passed and the ED no longer consumes my life, I've realized how much progress I've made. ( I am so proud that I'm no longer triggered by certain things. I didn't even realize that the ED part of me had faded away.)I think of her whenever I notice that change. Thank you so much, Dr. Hicks! Life is so much brighter now.”
I tear up every single time I read her message.
Knowing that there is one more person out there traveling the world, trying new foods, experiencing new places, and feeling completely free—not identifying with an eating disorder—brings me an incredible sense of joy and fulfillment.
Because when you're traveling, food can be one more source of uncertainty.
What are the ingredients? How much protein does it contain? How much fat? How was it prepared? What if I don't know exactly what I'm eating?
When you're struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, those unknowns can become incredibly loud. Instead of being able to fully appreciate the meal, the people around you, or the experience you're having, your thoughts can become consumed by fear and uncertainty.
But here's what I want you to know:
You do not have to be completely healed from an eating disorder or disordered eating before you can experience moments of stability, calm, and freedom.
Learning how to navigate those scary, uncharted moments is central to what I teach my clients today.
It's about learning to pause when fear takes over. It's about having skills you can reach for in the moment to help recalibrate your nervous system. It may involve calming breathwork, identifying grounding anchors, and learning how to step back from fearful or anxious thoughts rather than allowing them to dictate your choices.
These skills can create enough space for you to reconnect with the moment—to notice where you are, who you're with, what you're experiencing, and perhaps even enjoy the food in front of you.
Because food should not keep you from seeing the world.
And an eating disorder should not get to decide how much of the world you experience.
If you would like to learn more about how to regulate your nervous system, develop therapeutic tools to navigate anxiety around food, learn how to fuel yourself in a way that supports your body and helps prevent bingeing, or work through the mindset shifts that can help free you from disordered thoughts around eating, please reach out.
I'm happy to help.
Life really can be so much brighter on the other side.
kimberly@rooted-reflection.com
www.rooted-reflection.com