This is the first of a 9-part series on the 8 steps to ignite your inner light and achieve bliss. This post on the step Surrender was originally written as part of my weight release program. However, even if you don’t have a weight issue, you can apply these steps to overcome other issues as well.

Every day, ask God to help you put a health plan into action, starting today.

Today, stop fighting with your body. Your struggle is only making you gain more. The more you fight it, the more you gain. It is time for you to heal. Time to feel.

It’s not so much what you are eating as what is eating you! It’s time to get out the white flag! Start waving that flag.

Surrender the control. Today, start living your best part of your life ever…in the present moment. Enjoy each moment. Accept your body and you will start to release your weight.

Before you get out of bed, surrender your weight. Talk to God about how you can change your weighty thinking. You have to surrender the negative thinking. If your thinking doesn’t change, even if you lose weight, you will gain it back. You need to connect your mind, your body, and your emotions to your soul. If you lose weight from your body, but do not change your weighty thinking, it will come back again. This time, try to do it differently. Let go and surrender all your limiting beliefs.

Eat slower and enjoy every bite. Savor the flavor. In between meals, you may have some fruit. For example, blueberries, an apple, pineapple slices, watermelon slice, or strawberries.

Eat an apple sitting down. Enjoy the taste of each piece. Eat in silence. Be grateful for the food. Say a prayer for the people who made it possible for you to eat it, like the person who picked the apple, the person who packed the apple, and the truck driver who brought it to the store.

Accept the fact that you have a food compulsion. Let go and surrender your weight. There is a place deep in you…go within and find you. When you accept who you truly are and love yourself, your weight will start to come off. You can start today to practice surrender. Can you turn the control over to God? Do you want to live in fear or faith? Do you want to feel anxiety or peace? Surrender and allow your body to lose weight naturally. Let go of your ego! Do you trust God? Just choose.

Every day as you sit and drink your coffee, write in your journal. Ask yourself: What is wrong? Why is my weight out of control? How does it make you feel?

Let your feelings come out. Feel your emotions. Let it out so you can let go and be free.

Remember how you felt when you were your ideal weight. Think about how you looked, then resolve to do the best you can. Let go of shame and guilt.

Your soul is hungry for nourishment too. Start today to feed your soul. Food will not comfort you for too long. Its pleasure is soon gone, but when you fill yourself up with food for your soul, you feel full, you feel filled.

Food for the soul:

1. Tranquility
2. Inspiration 
3. Peace 
4. Harmony 
5. Gratitude 
6. Appreciation 
7. Self Love 
8. Loving Others 
9. Laughter
10. Joy

Surrender all negativity:

1. Self Doubt 
2. Judgement
3. Fear
4. Anger
5. Blame
6. Guilt
7. Stress
8. Shame
9. Hate
10. Regret

Practice compassion and self-forgiveness. Reward yourself and praise yourself. Whenever you feel like, “what the heck,” turn it over and ask God for help. The desire will go, you just have to wait it out. Go for a walk, drink a big glass of water, take a bath, dance, sing, meditate, whatever…Just don’t give in.

Remember the old saying, “a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips?” Think, “is the temptation worth it?” As we grow older, it becomes harder to get rid of unwanted weight. The harder you try, it seems, the harder it is to get the weight off. Starting today, please stop fighting with yourself. Remember, what you resist, persists.

You need accountability! Something has to change. Your problem with eating and being overweight goes real deep. You need to get to the root of why you can’t stop. Ask God, today, to help you turn it over to Him. Make up your mind that you are ready, this time, to totally surrender your body and soul over to Him. Be gentle with yourself, don’t be afraid, trust Him, let Him do it. It is His time. Find the power of surrender. Find you.

Take time every day to connect with God. This weight problem is God’s way of getting your attention. He wants to have a relationship with you. Don’t keep putting Him off. Connect with Him through meditation, journaling, and writing poems. All the diet failures are in the past. Today is a new day, a new beginning. Just admit, you need help; admit your weight has gotten out of control. The key to losing the weight is letting go. Accept the fact that you are overweight. Just surrender.

Surrender doesn’t mean you’re giving up. It means you’re joining forces with the power of the universe. You become unstoppable. Know that you’re never alone. God is in you. He is there to guide you and help you, if only you will let Him. Can you say, “Thy will be done?” Those words saved my life and they can save yours too. When you are ready to surrender, you become a partner with God. With God as your partner, you will succeed. The only thing holding you back is your ego; let it go. Feel the freedom. If you need help, just shout, “Help!”

Sit with your journal today and identify your struggle. Listen to your story. Is your inner voice saying “it’s not fair! It’s not my fault!” Blah blah blah. Stop and be aware. Notice. Do you feel angry, tight or stressed? Breathe. Close your eyes and breathe.

Whatever pain you are going through, God has the answer. Just ask. Most of the time when you are eating, you are feeding your emotions. Stop and ask yourself, am I hungry or upset? You can eat and eat and eat, but nothing, no amount of food is going to fill that empty place inside of you. The only thing to fill that void is His unconditional love. Let Him fill you up. Why are you keeping him out? Let it go…surrender.

Surrender to spirit and you will awaken to who you truly are. You will be free from all inner obstacles. Your struggle with your weight is your teacher. What can you learn from this struggle? Can you come face to face with your fear? Can you look your fear right in the eye? Once you say what your fear is, it loses its hold over you. Let go of your fear. Why do you hold it so tight? Let it go. Surrender it!

You are a powerful person. Don’t be afraid to grow. God is calling you and you know it. You keep eating, so you can’t listen to Him. He won’t give up. He will continue to try to get your attention. Be still and listen to Him.

Fear is holding you back from losing weight and you know what? Fear isn’t even real. It’s an illusion. You believe this fear and it holds you hostage. Fear is what is making you have a hard time losing weight. What are you afraid of? Say it out loud. Beating yourself up is not working for you. Surrender and let it go.

The ego is like a big bully. It is really afraid of your heart. It knows when you discover your true self, it will be taking a back seat because your spirit will be leading you. Go within and find yourself. You are a spiritual being and you are Love. There is a higher plan for you in this life. You are being called, answer it. Surrender to who you are and feel the power. Feel the freedom, the freedom to be you, free of fear. Ask yourself this week, and please journal, “what do I need to bring into my life?” What do I need to let go? What beliefs are getting in the way? What habits are not serving me?

Today, remember to drink lots of water, one half hour before each meal. This week, avoid alcohol and going out to eat. Purge your pantry and refrigerator of all temptations. Donate all the food to your church or local food pantry to help those in need.

Shop for healthy, alive food. If its not alive, don’t eat it. And last, but not least, eat all your meals at the table, sitting down. No eating in the car or standing up in front of the refrigerator. Be mindful! Change your mindset! Believe in yourself! Have courage to not listen to the critical voice in your head! If you fail, start over again. Don’t give up. You can do it. All you have to do is choose it. It is your choice.