and driving our actions. Many of us are living in a dodge-ball game, running through our lives trying to avoid the many negative emotions that are coming at us. By fighting the emotion, we are giving it power over us. We are letting the emotion dictate how we exercise, how we risk, whom we talk to, where we go, and when we stop eating. The anxiety comes, and we fight it by eating. The sadness comes, and we react to it by not working out. The fear comes in, and we decide not to take the risk. All of these emotions become dream stealers, dictating how we will live and how much we will weigh. Emotional strength, to me, does not mean that you don’t feel negative emotions. Emotional strength means that you are in charge of your emotions because you don’t pretend they are not there and you don’t try to go to war with them. You put down your weapons and you pay attention to them and listen to what they are trying to tell you. It is a peaceful coex- istence when you are listening attentively and respecting the emotions, but you ultimately have the final say on the action you take. Having weak emotional strength is living a life of fight- ing feelings and running away. It is like telling a lie about what you are really feeling, then having to live 96 • If IAm So Smart, Why Can’t I Lose Weight?