Living With the Lights On

What Do We Sell Ourselves On? As humans, we are faced with making decisions every day and many times every day.   When we decide we want to improve our self-care by choosing foods with high nutritional value, we can expect there to be an internal conflict.  Why is that? Why is it that there is a part of us that wants to sell us on junk?  What can we do to keep from selling ourselves a regret?  First, let's talk about the Why -  Our heart (desire) tells our mind that we want it.  Then our heart convinces our mind that we need  it.  It's not hard to justify a need.   It sounds like this: " I just need to take the edge off."  " I deserve it after a day like today." " I need a break." Then we find ourselves with thoughts like, "I don't understand why I did what I did." It's our heart.  “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,      and desperately wicked...

Holding It Together When It Feels Like You Are Falling Apart The phone won't stop ringing. Your child can't find their shoe. You need to get the laundry started. You have no idea what to cook for dinner. You can't fit into your favorite jeans.  It feels like your head is spinning. And then you eat.  Let me help. Pause. Breathe..... Notice and name your emotion....anxiety, frustration, anger, chaos? Where do you feel it in your body?  Emotions are simply vibrations in your body.  Describe what it feels like    Did you know that our emotions were part of how we are created?  They are indicators of the thoughts we have running around in our heads.   That may not sound comforting, but it is the first step in regaining your well being. Every thought is optional. When we become aware, without judgment,  we create forward momentum in the direction of our goals and dreams. The key is to notic...

The Present of His Presence Does your life feel full of chaos? During these weeks in limbo between Thanksgiving and the New Year full of feelings of anxiety, doubt, and regrets?  I would love to help by offering some thoughts.   (Remember, it is our thoughts, not our circumstances that create our feelings.) Here, try these thoughts:  "I am wonderfully made" "I am deeply loved" "I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus" "He is with me always, no matter how I am feeling or acting." Practice believing what He says about you. This is the first step in transforming how you see yourself and how you treat yourself.   I have created a webinar  for regaining well-being for 2020   that can help you and I would love to share it with you. It is totally free!  This is perfect timing to build momentum for the new year.   This webinar will give you the same simple steps I took to get off the yo-y...

Do We Really Need to Love Ourselves? There are lots and lots of messages out there about loving ourselves.  Some say it is the most important thing. Others say it is selfish.   What do you think?   Let me offer some thoughts to consider.   God's Word tells us, "We love because God loved us first." 1 John 4:19.  If God loves us, then we must be lovable. 100%!  Another verse tells us that He loved us while we were still rebellious, so Him loving us doesn't depend on our behavior. Does not loving ourselves agree with these truths?  Hmm, something to think about. A thought pattern I had in earlier years was, "If  I don't love myself,  I will behave better so that I will then be able to love myself."  Can you relate?   This performance-based acceptance is shaky ground.  Let's look at some firm understanding. Love is a feeling.  When we feel love we act in certain ...

Because I Care About You This is the perfect week to start practicing this thought: “Because I Care About You!” I have been trying this for the last few days. We have had some extra things come up and they included foods that were not on my plan. I picked up a small bite of a brownie and this thought came to me, “Because I Care About You.” That thought triggered the feeling of compassion, love, and honor. Those feelings led me to the action of placing the bite of brownie in the trash can. The Result - overcoming love. It is such a powerful feeling. I recommend it. Have fun trying this thought in as many areas as you can think of. Some of those areas might include these... Writing a 24-hour plan, Following through with your plan, Getting sufficient water, Getting sufficient sleep, Stopping eating when you reach +2, Focusing on conversations rather than food, What other areas can you think of? Enjoy the feeling you c...

Your Thoughts About Food and Why They Matter What do you think about food? Are there certain foods you think about with longing? Are there certain foods you don't give much thought to at all? I would like to challenge you, as we reach the end of November, to begin noticing what you think about your food. Why?  Because our thoughts will create emotions.   Some of those emotions might be "urgent", "desire", "longing", "guilt", "shame".  Other emotions might include "confident", "peace", "kindness", self-control", "victorious", "loving".   Which of these emotions do you want to feel most when you are making choices about how to nourish your body? Your emotions will trigger your actions.  As you begin noticing your thoughts, you may see thoughts like these: " I want that." " That looks so good." " I need that." ...