Alright! It’s the 55th and next to the last day of your new beginning on the Give-Back Diet.  Many of you have made great efforts, seen some great weight loss results, and made some lifestyle changes that have put you on the road to recovery.  I love what you’ve accomplished.  I love it that you’re with me day-by-day.  I love God, and God loves us.

Love.  This life is all about love.  I am sure we’re here in these human lives in order to find love, love, and to be loved.  The point of living is to love in the face of extreme pain and suffering.  To love in the center of the storm, in spite of what comes.

To put love into a health and weight loss context, it is love that will help you accomplish the healthy changes you desire.  If you’ve felt empty and hopeless; if you have been lonely, in pain (physical or emotional) and have been self-medicating – it is love that will heal you.  Putting your attention on loving and careful practices of self-care; forming and nurturing relationships; learning and putting into action ways to feel loved and full from fully living instead of self-destructive behaviors is the answer that you may have been looking for.

ACTION PLAN:

— The next time you feel bad, empty, lonely, upset, broke, sickly, unworthy, flawed, nervous, angry, tired, or overwhelmed – look for love – true love.
— Allow yourself to reach out and ask for assistance, ask for friendship, companionship, attention, and then do your best to lovingly accept it.  Give-Back the assistance, friendship, companionship, and attention to others.  Give love, feel love.
— Don’t forget that God is love.  God made you, even though it’s hard to see or understand how, or why.  Don’t forget that God’s love is here and now – with you. God’s love has never left you, and you will never be without His love.
— Stay abstinent, don’t sell yourself short and reach for high-sugar items, or super fatty bad junk food to feel better.  Make the small effort to find some true love instead.  Say a prayer, take a moment for meditation, talk to someone and give them your thoughts and feelings.

One last thought for today:  truth is, we are all experiencing difficult times, and looking for love.  When we give-back ourselves in authentic ways, we are giving people a gift of love.  When we take time to accept others the way they are, without judgment or criticism, but with real attention and compassion, we are not only giving love, we’re accepting other’s gifts of themselves.

Are you allowing yourself to feel love, and are you giving it back?  Please tell us in a post.  We LOVE hearing from YOU.

If you haven’t started, no problem, you can see the entire start-up program here.