Dear Renee,

I want to thank you for your courage in returning to IOWL.  I have been listening to your podcast since October and with the tools you have given me, I have made enormous progress in my weight and depression struggle, which has since become a weight and depression loss (Ha!) journey.  Even though I feel I can achieve my goals with the podcasts I have, I know you still have a lot to teach and I am an eager student.  Yesterday I set my intention to let go of the “I shoulds” or “I have to’s” that created a list a mile long.  I further set my intention to enjoy the present and appreciate what I can accomplish, rather than focus on what didn’t get done.  I took my dog for a walk and re-listened to the episode on changing limiting beliefs.  It could not have been more relevant to my intention.  I realized that these shoulds and have to’s were the albatross around my neck creating inner conflict.  Nothing says inner conflict like “I’ve go to do ______” because inherent in that statement is the notion that I really don’t want to do it!  Well I’ve decided that whenever an “I should” or “I have to” enters my mind, I will either replace it with an “I want to” or at the very least “I am willing to” and if I can’t then I need to renew my spirit before revisiting the things that need attention. 

Like you, I am an admirer of Oprah.  I particularly like Peter Walsh’s segments on getting organized.  Between your podcast and Peter’s segments, yesterday I realized a strong parallel between my own inner conflict and the challenge to keep up with other aspects of my home and work life.  Peter suggests that clutter robs you of motivation and enjoyment in your home which should be a sanctuary.  He couldn’t be more right.  Much of my inner conflict used to rise from the struggle to lose weight, but I feel now that struggle is an easy weight loss journey and I look forward to extending that feeling to the care of my environment.  Just as I can’t expect to eat healthfully and exercise one day a week and see results, neither can I do housework one day a week and ignore my home’s well being the other 6 days.  I recently advised someone on the Yahoo group that real change in one’s body and health is the sum of small efforts, and I plan to approach the care of my house and work environment in that same way.  My environment and my body are both expressions of my state of mind.  I used to see a messy kitchen full of dirty dishes right after I cleaned it as further evidence that I cannot keep up with my housekeeping.  I now see it as evidence of fresh meals made at home and enjoyed as a family, not as a personal failure.  

Renee you have truly brought ease and joy to my weight loss journey, but that’s secondary to the fullness I now have in the rest of my life.  I could not convey in one email how grateful I am to you, so I intend to spread my joy to all those I encounter as an expression of my gratitude.  

Best wishes!

Jenn