NYGal: Still Trying to GAL

[Painter]

I had a long reply to you earlier in the thread ready on my phone when someone rang, and I never got back to it!

If you feel the urge to send texts and voice mails, can you come here and post first? Because I have seen other posters do the same thing - do something anti-DB'ing and then come here and 'confess'. If you want to DB, you got to try to follow the recipe.

So you sent her a text *and* tried to call? Did you not answer when she called you back, or did you just miss the call? Ignoring her return call would be sort of rude, IMHO. What did you text her, and did you leave a voice mail when you called her earlier? Knowing that would make it easier to suggest a response now.


In general:

What you've done so far, is a little like if you went on a diet and as soon as you lost 2 pounds, you'd binge on ice cream. You're doing things that are getting results, but then you get fooled by the results you're seeing into thinking that you're at the goal line and you stop doing what works. You're not at the goal line just because she reaches out to you, you can't even see the goal line right now. You have to continue just based on faith in the process and the encouraging reactions you're getting.

I absolutely see that you are in a lot of pain - been there, repeatedly. That is what GAL is partly about, distracting yourself from the pain, taking your mind off WW.

What kind of activities do you like? What have you always wanted to try? Are you working out? Going to the movies (yes, by yourself if necessary) to watch comedies or action movies? If you start crying, you can leave. But if you give the movie a chance, you may just be surprised how you get caught up in it and get a 2 hour respite - and could even walk out of there in a great mood that lasts the rest of the night.

Is there a dog park you can take your dogs to, and meet other dog owners? This is not the time for solitary walks.

Have you thought about learning something new? Take horseback riding lessons, an art class, join a meetup group, learn self-defense (very empowering!), etc. The sky is the limit, and now is the time.