05/01/2026
~*~ Meet the inner saboteurs that shape your life
We all need support. We need people who believe in us when we’re not able to believe in ourselves. We need new ideas, fresh perspectives, and we need ongoing encouragement to help us stay on the path to good living when the road gets bumpy. Because it always gets bumpy.
That’s what I thought about as I signed off of last week’s Zoom gathering. I was surprised and grateful that so many people showed up, especially on New Year’s Eve. We’ve created a beautiful community of belonging, and I’m excited about all we’ll do together in 2026! If you missed it, we always record our gatherings, and you can find them at cherylrichardson .com
This week, I’ve invited Everett Considine, coauthor of “ReZoom” and creator of “The Peaceful Eating Way” program, to join us. When I decided a few years ago that I was ready to make my health a priority so I wouldn’t age with the kind of limitations I’d seen loved ones struggle with, I knew better than to go it alone. That’s why I reached out to Everett Considine – an Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner who specializes in helping clients to meet their inner saboteurs – the parts that often spoil our success.
At the time, my goal was to get stronger, reach an ideal weight, and stay there. In our first session, Everett made it clear that to work with him on these goals, I’d need to follow a formal food plan. That’s because a plan would bump me up against the resistant parts of myself that kept sabotaging my success. “Thanks, but no thanks” was my immediate response. I had no interest in a restrictive diet, having been down that road before. But after a few days of mulling over our conversation and noting my defensiveness, I reconsidered. Experience has taught me that when I get defensive about anything, it’s usually a sign that I need to pay attention to what I’m resisting. So, I found myself a nutritionist, set up a structured plan, and scheduled another session with Everett.
Real, long-lasting change requires both inner and outer work. Without it, progress becomes lopsided, and that’s when we fall off the metaphorical wagon. My work with Everett took me in a whole new direction when it came to eating well. I learned about the food controller part of me (The Rigid One), who insisted I follow a strict plan without compromise or missteps. I met the Seductive Loving Mother who would tempt me with sweets when I was fed up with The Rigid One. And then there was The Ambitious Achiever who wanted to lose at least five pounds a week, and when she didn’t see the scale dip far enough, she couldn’t wait to throw in the towel and move on to another, more achievable goal.
Learning about these inner saboteurs as I shifted my diet gave me valuable insights that helped me to befriend them. I’d come to realize that they were in place for good reason, and that my inability to maintain a healthy weight had more to do with what was happening outside of the kitchen. These parts had wisdom to share, and when I listened and tended to their needs, I stopped turning to food for comfort and pleasure.
Since one of the most requested topics in our “Exploring the Wisdom Years” series is Getting Healthy, I decided to start with eating well by introducing you to Everett. Parts work has been a game-changer and I think you’ll be surprised by what you discover!
The “Creating Health in the Wisdom Years” Zoom gathering is set for this Wednesday (1/7), at 3pm ET/12 noon PT. If you’ve joined us before, you’ll automatically receive a Zoom invite. If not, you can sign up at cherylrichardson .com
Together we’ll make 2026 a Happy, Healthy New Year for us all!
Love,
Cheryl
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Photo by Katie Smith
