Why You Must Feed Your Tigers…and Tap Into Who You Are

My incredible conversation on the show today with Steven Rudolph just confirmed some things that I have always believed: that we are happiest, most grounded, and alive when we embrace who we truly are, what we are best at and what we love to be and do. Steven calls them “tigers” that can be strong and help us flourish, or “eat” us if we ignore them.

What does it mean to “feed your tigers”?  Steven says it means that we try to use our talents, find environments where we fit using them, even if it means finding a hobby or side hustle to satisfy them.  If not, he describes in our conversation today, we will find other ways to feel ok about ourselves – for a moment, yet in ways that aren’t good for us long term.

You medicate with other things, such as substances, carbs, shopping, other people’s issues or anything else that will give you the temporary brain chemicals to make you feel better or to give you something to hyperfocus on…so you can ignore how you are feeling.  Or maybe you are looking for that energy that would have come naturally from doing things that organically energizes you and help you feel grounded and secure.

To feel better.

As I have talked about many times on the podcast and have written, I don’t believe we truly feel better until we rectify things with ourselves. If we are not owning and using our gifts, we are essentially trying to be someone we are not, and then we will need ways to disconnect from our truth and medicate the anxiety of doing just that.  We are going against who we really are, what comes naturally to us and what we care about and enjoy.

I have sat with way too many clients who have had to learn this lesson the hard way.  Helping them find their way back to themselves has been such an honor, and an amazing thing to witness.  So go talk to your tigers…and work something out that feels good for you.