30 Comments

Hi Dana,

Seasons greetings to you and yours, and congratulations on having your account be a Substack Featured Publication for 2023!

Something I've noticed is that the food that is good for me is also generally good for the planet: organically grown, often local, delicious, and healthy. Eating this way helps me to feel connected to earth and community, and I so appreciate that.

All the best in 2025 to you.

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Thank you, Diana. And I love that observation - so true, and makes so much sense. Wishing you a beautiful 2025 and beyond!

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I cannot like this more. Love the focus on what you and we are doing, adding, choosing, versus what we are not doing, taking away, or avoiding. Yes, yes, yes. And what a perfect name: Perfect Hunger. Love. Can't wait for your first drop on Jan.1. (Jan. 1 is 5 years sober for me-what a kickoff for the New Year). What is nourishing me lately: living slow, opting out of a lot of "obligations," drinking more tea, not drinking coffee/caffeine, doing one thing at one time, noticing when I feel well, being where my feet are, reading light fiction, practicing yoga when I wake and before I sleep, walking amidst the trees, dreaming about plans and goals for 2025.

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Hurray on 5 years, Rosemary! What a beautiful way to welcome the new year. And all that sounds deeply nourishing. I love the practice of doing one thing at a time - so simple yet creates such a powerful energetic shift.

I’m inspired by how you’re choosing tea over coffee. I know this would be so supportive for me, too. I’ve reduced my coffee intake to one cup a day this past while, and it makes such a difference for my mental state and anxiety level. Thank you for being here and sharing!

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Dana, I love this idea, mainly because it resonates with my life experiences over the last few years. It reminds me of the story my father told me when I was young.

One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it briefly and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee replied, "The one you feed."

For many years I fed the wrong things inside me and was left unfulfilled. But in recent years, that has changed, and I am learning to pay attention to what nourishes me and actively pursue those things. I look forward to this addition to your offerings.

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Beautiful, Matthew. I love that story and find it deeply resonant, even in the context of what I spend time thinking (or worrying) about. I appreciate your presence here!

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Ohhh I LOVE this new addition, Dana! It's in alignment with how I tend to move through my own life now. Noticing where the pulls are rather than cutting out through a harsh approach. It feels yummy and nourishing. I'm excited to see where you take this!

To answer your question, what's nourishing me recently is more whole food meals cooked at home. I've been staying in a lot (which isn't unusual for me), and spending time in my own kitchen has been feeling good rather than eating takeout all the time.

As for what I'm craving, it's connection with others. I'm going to be slowly venturing back out into the community when it feels good to do so. Funny enough these two answers oppose slightly, so I think it's safe to say I'm craving more balance.

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Thank you, Kaitlyn! And your answer makes so much sense. Part of me craves pulling inwards, simplifying, and nourishing my body at home...and part of me craves more adventures and spontaneity out in the world.

Wishing you much grace, steadiness, and ease as you find dynamic balance with it all. ❤️

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Thank you, Dana! I’m glad to hear I’m not alone ❤️

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Hi! How do we receive this? I’m already subscribed…

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Thanks for being here, Leigh! You should receive posts directly in your email inbox unless you’ve adjusted your global Substack settings to receive them only in your Substack inbox. On the backend, I’m seeing that you received and opened this one in your email. Please let me know if you still have questions.

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Ahh - my apologies! I thought this comment was on yesterday’s post (the most recent edition of Perfect Hunger), which I’m seeing as opened in your email.

Looks like you viewed THIS one and prior posts on Substack itself. Did you change your settings after signing up? If you don’t receive tomorrow’s post in your email and wish to, please let me know - it would either be something you need to adjust in your profile delivery settings or a Substack glitch, which I could look into with them.

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It’s amazing that you’re writing about this. I’ve been thinking about this very thing lately. Those of us in sobriety have become so accustomed to denying ourselves many things. But it’s what we think about most often that becomes what we think about so often. Duh 🙄

Why not think instead about those good things we’ve adopted and brought into the space created by what we’re denying?

I love it Dana—and look forward to reading more 🙏

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Yes - beautifully put, Dee. Thank you for being here. 🙏

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Yes, a thousand times: yes.

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❤️

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Thank you creating a space for this topic☀️ I am excited to get curious about what truly nourishes my body and mind.

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Thank you for being here, Josaline! ❤️

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Beautiful Dana. Looking forward to reading more, and thank you for all your wonderful content this year.

What's nourishing me this week includes long deep sleeps (my husband told me the cat walked over me twice last night and I didn't stir at all), lots of time outdoors (it's summertime here), and lazy days with no agenda 😃

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Thank you so much for being here and for all your support this year, Vicki. I greatly appreciate your presence!

And that sounds deeply nourishing. Deep sleeps (cats and all), time outdoors, and no agenda - yes!!

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I’m savouring the idea of perfect hunger. And you’re right, what we focus on is key. So the more often we enjoy and pay attention to an experience, the more brain connections get built, and the more we will look for the same experience again.

Thank you for putting words to this.

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Thank you for being here, Tim. And that’s so true - we really can change our minds.

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Yes, please! This sounds wonderful. I’m eager to become an ally to my body.

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So glad you’re here, Pamela! ❤️

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I’m here for all of this, Dana! I look forward to connecting more with what are my natural cravings, not chemical.

Excited to see where this is headed 💕

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Yay! Thank you for being here, Allison. ❤️

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Beautiful post. Needed to be fed by this. Thankyou

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Thank you, Amanda. So glad you’re here. ❤️

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Ooooh I love what you’re cooking up, Dana.

Over the past few days, I have felt deeply nourished by diving into my own end of year reflection and intention process. Even just thinking about the questions that I created for myself, there has been a flow of healing insights and exciting visions for what’s to come.

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Thank you, Maia - very grateful for your presence here. And your reflection and intention process sounds exciting and deeply nourishing.

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