Shecky’s

When we were much younger versions of ourselves, we knew very little about basic needs, but our wants were limitless and magical. Somewhere along our path to the present, we were told many times that we couldn’t have everything that we wanted. The first time we learned this was devastating beyond measure. The thought of not being able to have a Red Ryder BB gun or Barbie’s pink Corvette went against everything our spirit knew when it came into this reality.

Enter: temper tantrum.

Fast forward: present day.

As the beautiful, grown-up human beings that we are, we have very basic needs that must be met in order to have the healthiest of wants. When we get out of balance, it’s easy to sometimes get confused and think that our wants are actually needs. Needs are fuel for our being. They are what make us thrive. They balance us and keep us present. Wants serve a purpose of satisfying emotions that are usually felt because a need is not being met. When we forget about our needs and focus only on our wants, we act on impulse and sometimes in extreme ways.

When our needs are not being met, our body tells us to pay attention and then asks us to fulfill the voids instantly. When you wait too long to eat and feel ravenous, how often do you make poor food choices? You don’t NEED to eat that chocolate, cream-filled donut, but you sure do WANT it to bring your blood sugar back up. Eating it will make you feel instant gratification and those good-feeling endorphins in your brain.

That’s awesome for a few minutes before you crash again, because your need for a balanced meal still has not been met. Food for thought: why do you think we eat comfort food to get through the pain of a breakup? That soothing sensation feels very similar to being in love and immediately satisfies your want for sweetness in life, but it doesn’t fill the actual void you are feeling.

Don’t rely on food or anyone else to feel love. True love has to start within you.

When you truly love yourself, you happily fulfill your basic needs to feel effectively whole. You eat nourishing food. You allow your body daily movement and adequate sleep. You open your heart to allow external love from others to come in. When you are feeling healthy and fulfilled, you feel unstoppable. When you love all that is you and can feel love from everyone around you, everything in sight is enhanced. Roadblocks become speed bumps. Obstacles become playgrounds. Abundance flows to you in all avenues of your life. Your innermost wants and desires come to fruition.

It is so important to remember the youthful magic of inherently KNOWING that you can truly have ANYTHING you want. But first, you must fulfill your basic needs to have a balanced mind, body and spirit. To love your body is to not neglect it.

At the end of the day, all we really need is love.

-Jenna Phillips for The Daily Love

Jenna Phillips is the CEO of Mission Possible and a top celebrity personal trainer in Los Angeles. Follow Jenna on Twitter!

Mastin Kipp is the founder of The Daily Love, a website, daily email and Twitter account that’s merging pop culture with inspiration. He is also the co-founder of Self Approved Clothing, Ltd, a lifestyle apparel company that’s started a global self-esteem movement. The Daily Love has quickly become the fastest growing inspirational Twitter account and email list on the internet and reaches almost 400,000 people daily. Sign up for The Daily Love’s email to receive your daily dose of love>

GIRL TALK TIME: What do you think of Jenna’s advice? How do you turn obstacles into something else? What are you working to overcome this Monday?