There is no denying that springtime is a season of renewed positive feelings, like hope and joy. More daylight hours, warmer sunshine, and the ability to crack the windows refreshes us. There is something about shedding puffy winter coats and clunky boots that also allows us to feel lighter—in all the senses of the word!

If you are someone who feels as if they are waking up at this time of year and aren’t sure where to put your rising energy and good mood, below we’ve got some great questions for you to reflect on!

Choose one—or play around with all of them—and get inspired to look inwards. Getting clarity can help you feel more in-tune with what fills your cup and is a great way to not only recognize your needs, but meet them. This practice makes you feel more fulfilled, meaning you’re less likely to reach for food to soothe yourself.

1. If your mood is feeling more positive this season, what is it that is creating this mental shift? How can you do or get more of it? What else in yo
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Chances are, if you’re an emotional eater you put your own needs on the back burner. That might be because you aim to take care of others or you feel you have to show up perfectly every time. But stuffing down what you need to feel your best is a recipe for those unmet feelings to come up with your relationship with food.

We often hear from clients here at the Centre for Emotional Eating that they don’t know how to identify their needs, less alone meet them. And that is ok! It takes time to get to know yourself when you’ve been using food to hide behind. Plus, what lights you up can change over time, so don’t feel bad if something that used to work for you doesn’t anymore—we are constantly growing and learning!

Here are some journal prompts to get you thinking about what your needs are and how to meet them. Start by finding some time to sit with yourself. If this seems impossible to you, feel free to journal in chunks of time: answer a question quickly then think about it until you c...

There is something about the Fall season that seems to bring about feelings of routine and reflection. Maybe it’s the back-to-school feeling we never quite lose, the colder weather having us slow down, or being aware that the calendar year is coming to a close. No matter what it is for you, know that you are not alone and that this time of year can have an impact on your mood.

To support you through these feelings and the sense of transition, we’ve got some journal prompts to help you reflect on what you might be experiencing and support you through it. Feel free to answer one or all of these in the way you enjoy journaling. That could look like full paragraphs, a few bullets, or even key words on a page with your doodling. There is no wrong way!

• What are some of your memories around Fall? How do they make you feel?
• What have you done in the past—hay rides, reading a scary Halloween book, baking with apples—that you’d like to try and do again this Fall?
• What is something you’re l
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As the weather starts to warm up and sweater and coats are put away for the season, we begin to turn our minds to our summer wardrobe. This can cause a lot of anxiety for those of us who struggle with our body image. We begin to wonder: “Will I still fit in my clothes from last summer?”, “Will I sweat through the fabrics?”, or even “I hated how I felt in those shorts, but they were the only thing that fit.”

Instead of a summer “ready” body, let’s look at getting your mind ready for summer! Here are five journal prompts to use when you’re facing thoughts about your body and how it “fits” into the changing season:

1. When I feel good in my clothes, what does that physically feel like? What does that mentally feel like? (You may find your body language is more confident or you like the feel of certain fabrics.)
2. How do I feel about my summer wardrobe? What do I currently have that I like and that I don’t like?
3. If money weren’t a consideration, what would I add to my summer wardrobe? (Th
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Take a deep breath. And another one.

Binges are full of emotions before, during, and after. Food has a way of giving us a sense of calm and numbness, but anyone who has eaten emotionally knows that the intense emotions that lead up to a binge and then the ones that follow after—guilt, shame—can leave you feeling so much worse than before any food was eaten.

Emotional eating is a common coping mechanism that many people use to manage everything from stress, to not getting enough sleep, to depression. While your mind may be telling you there is something shameful about emotional eating, the truth is that it is a sign that you are doing your best to manage everything life throws at you. And sometimes life can be overwhelming or scary or just plain crappy.

So, you’ve binged on all your favourite foods in an attempt to escape your negative feelings. As you slowly come out of the binge mentality and regret begins to blossom, take a moment to pull out your journal and try one or a few of t...