There was a time when everything felt dark—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Living with undiagnosed anxiety and depression (which I couldn’t name at the time, but can see clearly in hindsight) meant a constant inner dialogue of fear, stress, and self-criticism. It was like a storm that never let up. My attempts to numb it all, through food, alcohol, or distraction, only made things worse.
Like many others, the belief was that a better body might unlock a better life. So began the cycle: jumping on the latest diet, losing a few pounds, feeling hopeful for a moment… only to slide back into old habits. Happy hours, takeout on the couch, ice cream straight from the container—it became a loop.
Shame fed the cravings, the cravings fed the shame, and the spiral continued.
But it wasn’t just about weight. The body was waving red flags: unbearable menstrual cycles, chronically low iron levels, and relentless pain and fatigue. Emotionally, things felt even darker.
My thoughts of suicide were not rare. They were rehearsed. Considered. Almost acted upon.
A New Path Through Nutrition
One night in a lonely hotel room, exhausted while traveling for work, curiosity sparked while watching documentaries about nutrition. The idea that food might be a root cause—and a solution—was eye-opening.
That curiosity snowballed into research, lectures, documentaries, books, and eventually, significant dietary changes. I was reading everything I could get my hands on to understand more.
Slowly, the physical pain started to ease. Hormonal issues improved. Energy returned.
But even as my body healed, staying consistent was a battle. Old habits clung tight. Progress would stall. Diets were optimized, workout programs like 75 Hard were tested, but the deeper transformation remained out of reach.
The Power of Emotion-Based Goals
Then came the lightbulb moment: the concept of an emotion-based goal.
Instead of asking, “What do I want to do?” the better question became, “How do I want to feel?” This shift, an invitation for me to stop chasing behavior and start tending to emotion, was transformative. For someone raised to believe that emotions were inconvenient or even wrong, this was revolutionary.
For decades, my belief had been: discipline above all. Yet discipline alone never held. What did? Learning to feel. Learning to honor emotions. Learning to work with the mind, not against it.
This approach led to my studying mindset, psychology, and ultimately becoming certified in affective liminal psychology—a modality focused on emotional processing.
When paired with a background in fitness, nutrition, and science, it became a powerful, integrated toolkit for total transformation.
There is Life on the Other Side of the Spiral
Today, that storm of anxiety, self-loathing, and shame is quiet. The chatter has stopped. The weighted vest is off. What remains is clarity, calm, and a sense of purpose.
And it didn’t take magic. It took a method.
The journey was long… over a decade of piecing things together. But it doesn’t have to be that way for others. There’s now a roadmap: a book, a program, and a pathway that takes those micro-changes and turns them into major life shifts.
For anyone who feels stuck in a cycle of disappointment, who knows what to do but can’t seem to do it, know this: you’re not broken. You’re not alone. And there is a way out.
Healing is possible. Peace is possible. Consistency is possible.
You don’t have to stay where you are. You can step forward—one feeling, one shift, one choice at a time.
And you can begin today.
Listen to my origin story on the Get Out of Your Own Way Podcast below.
While you’re here, you might like reading these other blog posts:
September 17, 2025
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All content ©Kori McClurg 2025
