Remembering to be Grateful

[jmmoon]

What a fortunate person I am that my burden in life was to have the opportunity to OVERfeed myself! For the most part I've never in my life had to wonder where my next meal was coming from. I try to honor that good fortune with regular donations to the Community Food Bank.

I have the strength to choose to use my intellect to learn new behaviors and forever change my approach to food. I've watched alcoholics, food addicts, and drug addicts give in to the overwhelming feelings of hopelessness that they felt over their disease/obessions. Some close to me have died from their unwillingness to embrace the opportunities they had to change.

Every day I choose to live consciously aware of my food and exercise choices and the effects those choices have on my life and well-being. I consider that to be an integral part of my successful weight management.

[dennes]

Oh Julie that is such a powerful, beautiful message--a prayer really. I have no business reading a maintenance board really--not yet anyway, But having lost before and not maintained I am going to audit this course and take it for credit in a year or so. I am grateful, and I find you inspiriing.

[jmmoon]

Mary you certainly do have business reading a maintenance board! One of the things we can do for ourselves in any facet of our lives is to observe/listen to people who are where we want to be, and work on mimicking their behaviors. That is, if you want to be a better public speaker (something I've worked on for years!), study the way effective speakers present themselves and their material.

In the same way, if we want to be successful in our programs, we should learn from those who've gone successfully before us. I know I do.

[bz1027]

We really are fortunate. A few years ago when I was living paycheck to paycheck w/ just a little left over each month I looked in my closet and realized I wasn't so bad off. I started making regular donations to a womens shelter/storefront mission whenever I bought something new, I had to pick out something to be donated.

I also make regular donations to our food pantry at church.

I am very blessed.

[kathleen320]

My service club has a continuous food drive/collection for the Salvation Army. It's one food item, e.g., can or box, or one dollar per week per member.

[Lesley1]

I agree with you whole-heartedly. My "mantra" when I remember to take a breath before eating, is "May everyone have enought to eat."

Most of the charities I contribute to are food related. There's a food bank, a service that collects unused food from restaurants, corporations, etc, a program that delivers meals to the elderly, one that delivers meals to people with AIDS and other serious diseases, and a soup kitchen.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if the money that Americans turn over to the "diet industry" could be used to feed the hungry?

[jmmoon]

OMG Lesley! What an incredible way to look at it! Instead of funding the diet industry, we could choose not to overeat, and instead give that food and money saved to the hungry! So very true!