Transform Your Love Life: Healing from Trauma Inside Out

I loved meeting with my friend and colleague, Jeanne Byrd, to discuss how food, movement, and mindset can help heal the wounds of early trauma and create a foundation for authentic, lasting love. Jeanne is an Integrative Nutritionist making a connection between caring for your body and cultivating healthy, loving relationships.

From Sacrifice to Self-Care: How Caring for Your Body Transforms Your Life

When I reflect on my conversation with Jeanne Byrd for my podcast, I’m struck by how deeply her story of neglecting her own needs mirrored my own—and likely many of yours. Jeanne’s experience in the demanding film industry led her to put her physical well-being on the back burner, sacrificing herself for the sake of her career. That resonated with me because I’ve done the same in relationships, giving and giving until there was nothing left of me.

For many of us who experienced early trauma, this pattern of self-neglect is familiar. Childhood wounds often teach us to strive for worthiness by taking care of others while abandoning our own needs. But here’s the truth: self-sacrifice doesn’t make you worthy. Recognizing this pattern and choosing self-care instead is an act of reclaiming your power. It’s not selfish—it’s survival and transformation.

Food as Medicine: Choosing Nourishment Over Neglect

I’ve always believed that healing the wounds of the past requires addressing both the emotional and physical aspects of our lives. Jeanne and I agreed on one crucial thing: food is medicine. Unfortunately, many of us are stuck in habits that reflect how we feel about ourselves. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is not designed to nourish—it’s designed for convenience and addiction, and it often mirrors the emotional neglect we’ve internalized from our past.

Choosing nutrient-rich foods is a form of self-love. It says, “I matter, and I deserve to feel good.” This doesn’t mean you have to overhaul everything overnight. Start small. Jeanne shared a simple but powerful tip: swap out unhealthy options like ice cream for frozen fruit purees. This one change can boost your energy, shift your mood, and show you the power of taking just one step in the direction of care.

Try This: What’s one unhealthy habit you can replace with a nourishing choice? Take it one day at a time and notice how it makes you feel.

The Gut-Heart Connection: Healing from the Inside Out

If you’ve ever felt “off” emotionally and couldn’t quite put your finger on why, it might be time to look at your gut health. I’ve learned through my conversation with Jeanne—that our gut, often called the “second brain,” plays a massive role in our emotional well-being. The gut and brain communicate constantly, influencing our mood, stress levels, and even our capacity for connection.

For those of us healing from trauma, healing the gut is like creating a stronger foundation for emotional resilience. Even small changes, like adding gut-friendly foods (berries, whole grains) and avoiding inflammatory combinations (white flour and potatoes), can make a significant difference. It’s not just about food—it’s about how you feel in your body and your relationships.

Action Step: Reflect on your current diet. What foods could you add that truly nourish your body and mind? Start with one gut-friendly food this week.

Movement as Medicine: Honoring Your Body with Action

Movement has been one of the most transformative tools in my healing journey. I’ve experienced how even small, intentional actions—like walking outside or stretching—can change my mood, energy, and outlook. Movement isn’t just about getting fit; it’s about honoring your body, showing up for yourself, and reconnecting with the vessel that carries you through life. Remember, movement isn’t about punishment; it’s about joy and connection. When we move, we remind ourselves that we are alive, capable, and worthy of care.

Start Small: Commit to just 10 minutes of movement a day. Notice how it shifts your mood and reconnects you with your body.

Transforming Beliefs: From “I Don’t Matter” to “I Am Worthy”

The beliefs we carry from childhood shape everything—what we eat, how we treat our bodies, and the relationships we attract. For years, I carried the false belief that I didn’t matter. It influenced how I cared for myself (or didn’t) and the kind of love I accepted into my life. The work of healing begins with questioning these beliefs. What’s more true than “I don’t matter?” These shifts take time, but each step you take—whether it’s eating better, moving your body, or speaking kindly to yourself—reinforces the truth of your worth.

Reflection Exercise: Pay attention to how certain choices make you feel. Are they aligned with the belief that you matter, or are they reinforcing neglect? Start choosing actions that affirm your worth.

Building Trust and Accountability: Finding Support on the Journey

For many trauma survivors, trust is a challenging concept. It’s hard to rely on others when trust was violated early on. But healing doesn’t happen in isolation and it’s important to find a guide—someone who can hold space for you, remind you of your strengths, and support you when taking those first steps feels impossible.

If you’re hesitant to trust, know that it’s okay. Start small. Find someone who listens, cares, and holds you accountable with kindness. Healing is a process, and having someone by your side can make all the difference.

Pro Tip: Look for a coach, mentor, or community that feels aligned with your goals. Trust is built over time, one small step at a time.

Small Actions, Big Transformation: Start Today

Here’s what I’ve learned from my own journey – transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It’s the result of small, intentional actions taken consistently over time.

Maybe your first step is swapping out one unhealthy food. Maybe it’s going for a short walk or journaling about how a meal made you feel. Maybe it’s reaching out to someone for support. Whatever it is, commit to it. You don’t have to change everything overnight—you just have to start.

I invite you to make a commitment to yourself. Choose one action—big or small—that says, “I care about me.” Maybe it’s preparing a healthy meal, going outside for fresh air, or simply sitting with the thought, “I matter.” Whatever it is, let it be a testament to your journey of healing and growth.

Taking care of your body is not just about health—it’s about reclaiming your power and creating the life and relationships you deserve. You are worthy of care, connection, and love. Start today, one small step at a time. You’ve got this.

To explore Jeanne Byrd’s work further, visit her website at JeanneByrd.com or tune into her podcast Love Sugar on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. For more conversations like this, subscribe to From Trauma to True Love and join us in creating lives filled with love, connection, and wholeness.

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3 Ways to Expand Your Perception and Create Happiness After Divorce

After Divorce, You need to think differently! The only way you’re going to have an experience after your divorce that is different than pain, is if you let yourself think differently about your circumstances. You can look at all the drama and trauma of what is wrong about your situation, and how it’s not supposed to be like this, but you will only prolong your suffering. People come to me because they’re tired of hurting so much and for so long. Your first task is to infiltrate your mind with newness. New thoughts and ideas that empower you to see potential in your future instead of more of the same struggle you might be experiencing today. There are many sides to a story! And not one of them is any more true than another. That means your story of what is happening to you, is simply that. A story! It may be a compelling story that has victims and perpetrators, good guys and bad guys. But it’s only a story. Each story is told from a specific perception. Here’s an exercise to see how your story is preventing you from being happy. Expanding Perception Exercise #1 Take a moment and tell your story from your perspective. Write it out in a paragraph or two and then set it aside. Now, this is the hard part. Write the same story from your partner’s perspective. What does he or she think about the situation? Who does this person blame and for what grievances? How do they see the problem and who do they cast as the victim? What would be the best next step from this perspective? Do this again from at least three different perspectives. If you are able to put yourself in the shoes of other people…. I mean, really put yourself in their shoes, you will see that you have increased your perspective. You may not like it or want to go along with what you discover, but that’s not the point… it’s simply to expand your perception and see possibilities that didn’t exist before. Being able to step out of your shoes and into another’s will give you a unique perspective that gives you access to new ideas that you could never, ever see if you were tied into only one way of perceiving a person or situation. After Divorce, you need to Speak Differently! I have found that the way we speak has a lot to do with how happy or unhappy we are. Bring conscious awareness to the words you speak to yourself. You might not even be aware of how harshly you are berating yourself. Maybe you’re not so hard on yourself, but even those clients I work with who are incredibly on-top of things and making all the ‘right’ choices have negative self-talk. Your perception will change when you bring your awareness to everything you are saying to yourself about who you are, what you’re capable of, and your general sense of worthiness. Expanding Perception Exercise #2 Stop yourself several times a day and write a short paragraph about what you’re telling yourself in an internal dialogue. See if you can start to catch yourself as you tell yourself negative messages. This exercise is only about expanding your perception around how you are treating yourself and the repetitive negative messages you tell yourself. Once you have an expanded perception of what you’re telling yourself on a regular basis, you can consciously choose to speak more kindly to yourself. Yup! It’s like setting a boundary with someone who isn’t nice to you. After Divorce, you will need to Act Differently! Thee is no other time when your behaviors will be as important to your future as when you are going through a divorce. Most people (not all) tend to keep patterns of behavior that no longer serve them. You may need to set stronger boundaries, or you may need to access a strength and courage inside of you that you didn’t know was there. You might need to take risks to meet new friends and try new things. Taking new actions will expand your perception and enable you to see new ways of behaving in the new world you’re creating for yourself. Expanding Perception Exercise #3 Notice the behaviors that you engage in that are routine and see if you can mix them up a little. You don’t have to cut the ends of the roast off any longer. The world is big enough for you and your bold life. It’s time to start living it. Take at least ONE new action each week. Try a new food, pick up a new hobby, meet a new friend. Write about what you notice as a result. Expanding your perception will bring you happiness! At the beginning of Brene’ Browns TedTalk on vulnerability, she explains how her research expanded her perception in ways that completely changed the way she lives, loves, works, and even how she parents. Staying tucked into a metaphorical box of limited perception will only give us more of what we’ve already created. If you’re not 100% happy with your life, then do everything you can to expand your perception of your circumstances. Think about it… there is a huge difference in perceiving your relationship breakup (or challenges) to be a huge failure instead of thinking of it as opening you up to a new wonderful experience of your life. Which way of walking through the fire do you think will bring you more happiness? Are you a victim or your circumstances? Or a powerful co-creator with the Divine? You choose!
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Breakup Music Playlist

Music as a self-care practice! Music is an important part of our lives, isn’t it? There are certain songs that take us back to a specific time of our lives, like our teen years, or an event, like our wedding day. My ex-brother and sister-in-law got married to the Beatles song, “Will You Still Love Me When I’m 64?” They’re still together. I should have known where my marriage was headed when my husband asked the mariachis to serenade us with, “El Asesino, which, in Spanish, means The Murderer (in case you were wondering). Oh, that should have been a red flag that I was creating my break up music playlist. And today it makes sense that one of my favorite songs to listen to several years into our marriage was Willie Nelson’s Country & Western hit, “You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille.” I hadn’t been happy for a long time. Music connects the head and heart! After I left my marriage, I listened to a lot of music that was heart-opening, like “Ra Ma Da Sa” by Snatam Kaur. I was very intentional listening as I engaged in my Kundalini yoga practice. And then I listened incessantly to Michael Franti. I resonated with songs like “Hey World (Don’t give Up), ” because I felt like my world was a war zone. It gave me hope and I felt like I was asking the Universe to not give up on me -personally! Oh, and I learned to drum – it was like listening to my own heartbeat that I had lost touch with. A few years later, my lover turned me onto Prog, and the musical bars were raised! Listen to Spock’s Beard’s masterpiece, “The Doorway.” Isn’t it beautiful? Listening to this can you see how relationships can serve as a catalyst for our evolution? A doorway to knowing ourselves more deeply… Music can be irreverent! But, that’s fun! I love empowering music, and one of my favorite singer/songwriters is Storm Large. She’s not for everyone, but she tells it like it is and she says things the most of us would never dare speak out loud. Like this inappropriate song called, “I Want You to Die!” It is appropriate however for the angry hurt moments…. She’s a powerhouse who has lived through abuse, neglect, and depression. I love her! And have seen her in concert a couple of times. She has a wide range and is comfortable performing in jeans and a t-shirt or a fancy gown, like when she played Carnegie Hall. I personally think every woman should know Storm. You can check out her racy music, I’ll just share a mild one here that is perfect for getting over someone. Here’s Storm’s version of “Hopelessly Devoted To You.” Let’s Co-Create a Playlist! Now it’s your turn? Share your EMPOWERMENT music here! What are some fabulous songs, artists, genres you listen to?
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The Law of Surrender

This Spiritual Law requires that you surrender to the circumstances of your life as they are. Ultimately, this is the “telling myself the truth” law. This is the way it is, now what? When you are able to surrender to what is, then you open yourself up to tons of possibilities that will change the experience you are having with your life. Surrendering is very different than giving up. When you “give up,” you feel victimized, but when you surrender you become empowered to take different actions than you have in the past. When you “give up,” you feel drained and empty, but when you surrender you are filled with inspiration and become open to a wider view of yourself and the world around you. When you resist what is, whatever you’re resisting consumes your attention and it becomes very difficult to be in the flow of your life. Surrendering opens us up to a greater reality than what we previously thought possible. Dan Millman talks about The Law of Surrender In the first half of this video, Millman teaches this law using some common circumstances we might find ourselves in. The Law of Surrender gives us new ways to be in the world. Millman also teaches an important concept that I work with in my coaching work: “Emotions are the weather patterns of the body.” During the second half of the video, Millman shares a simple way to stay in the present moment. via My Heart Heals With The Law of Surrender | My Heart Heals.
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The Law of Creation

The Law of Creation frees you to consciously step out of self-imposed limitations and into the infinite wonder of what is possible for your life. When you have integrated the other six spiritual laws, you will be well on your way to a healed heart and in the perfect position to go for what you desire. Once you have forgiven and broken the painful ties that bind you to the past, you will be in the perfect place to create from clear ground. You deserve to be free from the pain of the past and to live with an open, loving, and trusting heart. It may be hard work for you, but I guarantee you that if you make the commitment to heal your heart, it will be well worth it. If you were standing on a blank canvas, what would you create? AN EXERCISE Give yourself a little time to dream. Before you begin this 10-15 minute journaling exercise, clear your mind of all limitations. If you notice doubt or fear creep in, just ask it to sit aside for your journal time. Use the following prompts to imagine what you would create: If your heart were completely healed, what would you be able to have in your life? What is it that you would be able to do that you haven’t been able to do up to now? Where would you live? work? What new things would you try? A new hobby? Would you take up an activity that you haven’t participated in for years? How might you look at the world differently? If you had the feeling in your heart that you were unstoppable, what actions would you take this week? What old grudges would you drop? What fears would you let go of? If there were no limitations, what would your life look like? Once you’ve written for about 15 minutes, fold the piece of paper up and place it under your pillow. Read it every night for a week. Feel free to add to it or update it as you re-read it. Let the good feelings build in you as you commit to creating what you want for your life. Share with me what you discovered about your desires. via My Heart Heals With The Law of Creation | My Heart Heals.
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It’s not if you fall, it’s what you do after that counts!

When I saw this video, I cried… There are certain circumstances that can knock us down. Life throws us challenges: a move to a new home; a change in career; an unexpected death in the family; an illness; a divorce. We don’t always know how to get back up after big losses, but I hope this video gives you some inspiration to do it… to get back up and move forward. Feelings like sadness, grief, disappointment, frustration, and grief can overwhelm us. I know… I’ve been there! Do You Feel Alone? Going through a major life transition often leaves us feeling alone. Well-meaning friends and family can give us wonderful support, but it’s not always what we need and we can end up feeling more alone than ever. If this is your experience, you’re not alone (no pun intended). If you’ve moved, changed your career left a relationship then you have a lot to deal with. Your surroundings may have changed. The people you trusted and counted on may not be available in the ways you need them. You might need a new support system, and that is completely and totally normal and expected! Prepare Yourself! I know it’s not as easy as saying, “Just do blah, blah, blah!” You may know what needs to change. You may know what you need to do differently, but you may not be in a position to create the pathway to a better future. The woman in the video trained to run that race. She trained to win. She had a coach. She practiced every day. Take some time and create a plan – a step-by-step plan that gets you hooked into community gets you the support you need and holds you accountable for taking decisive and strategic actions to get back on top of your life. It may be a struggle. You may get out of breath feeling overwhelmed, but you can do it. Here’s how you can reinvent yourself and move toward a better future. With each and every action you take, ask yourself, “Will this keep me stuck in the past or will it propel me to the future I desire?” Ask this question for what you believe – do you need to change your beliefs? As this question for what you tell yourself in your internal dialogue – do you need to have a strong boundary with yourself to change how you talk to yourself? Choose who you will invite in as your support team. Who are your coaches and cheerleaders? Who can you complain to that won’t let you get away with complaining, but won’t make you feel bad about yourself either? Who will hold you in your highest, hold your hand every step of the way, and hold your heart in sacred trust? I will! If you want support to reinvent yourself, schedule a complimentary 30 minute call with me here and we’ll explore how I can support you.
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