Dear Louise,

I’m a middle-aged woman who has recently gone on total disability due to a mental illness. During my ordeal, I’ve gained about 60 pounds due to medication, and partly due to my secluding myself from others and eating for comfort. Now I’m ashamed to be seen by others, and I feel guilty about looking nice because then others will view me as a fraud.

How can I change my self-image and let go of the guilt and fear of judgment so I can lose this weight? Thank you for your advice.

K.K., New York City

 Stop worrying about what others think of you. That’s what got you into trouble in the first place. The only thing that matters is what you think about you, and there’s nothing more important than feeling good about yourself. The weight will take care of itself when you make your inner mental life a joy to experience.

No matter whether you’re with lots of people or alone, your thinking is your own choice. Mental trauma is just that: thinking gone awry-that is, dwelling on thoughts that make you feel miserable. Conditions don’t lead people to mental illness or even suicide, but it’s the thoughts they choose to have about these conditions. When you think about the past, only allow yourself to think of delicious moments and memories. This will prepare you to have more of these moments in the future. The thoughts you think in the now are attracting your future experiences. Your thoughts are like magnets; they draw to you more of the same.

Include this as part of your constant thinking: THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS HERE TO SUPPORT ME ON MY JOURNEY IN THIS LIFETIME. POSITIVE MIRACLES OCCUR IN MY LIFE. I AM A DIVINE CONDUIT FOR TRANSFORMING THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE’S LIVES.

Dear Louise,

Do you have an affirmation for burnout? It seems to be physical depression-no energy to start tasks, but without any negative thoughts or feelings. Thanks.

M.T., Los Angeles

 I’m glad to hear that you have no negative thoughts or feelings, because it will be much easier for you to get to thoughts of joy. Thoughts of joy will heal anything and everything. There was a time when I believed that loving yourself would heal everything. But loving ourselves is a hard concept for many to comprehend and put into practice. How often I’ve heard, “But I don’t know how to love myself,” or “There’s nothing about me to love.” Both of these are powerful negative affirmations and bound to keep one stuck where they are.

Loving who you are brings joy into your life. Do things that give you pleasure. Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for in your life. Also, go to a good nutritionist and have a healthy diet created just for you. The physical part of your challenge could be related to a food allergy or intolerance. Try eliminating wheat, dairy products, and sugar from your diet for two weeks and see if you don’t feel better. Affirm: MY ENERGY IS RETURNING RAPIDLY, AND I FEEL GREAT. I LOVE MY BODY AND MY LIFE.

Dear Louise,

Recently something happened to totally shake me up. I came home to find that I had been robbed. Thankfully no one was hurt. I’ve always believed that my thoughts create my reality. I’ve trusted people sincerely. Now I find myself getting paranoid. I don’t like this change in me, yet I don’t know how to shake it.

Please help me. I desperately need your feedback.

M.D., Miami, Florida

I once had my home broken into the week before my husband asked me for a divorce (many decades ago), so I empathize with what you’re going through. Have you taken anything lately from others? It may not have been money but something else? Also, have you been having thoughts of loss? Have you been buying into the talk of terrorism that’s running rampant in this country? Remember, fear attracts fearsome experiences!

Stop being paranoid and desperate (your words) and center yourself in the peace of your own being. Breathe deeply and fully. Get a massage. Take a yoga class. Relax your mind and your body. No matter what’s happening in other parts of the world, or what’s going on in the economy, it has nothing to do with you unless you attach your thoughts to it. Affirm: I AM ALWAYS SAFE AND DIVINELY PROTECTED. WHERE I AM IS PEACE AND HARMONY. I RELEASE ALL THOUGHTS OF FEAR OR LOSS, AND I AFFIRM MY DIVINITY.