February 3, 2025

Hi Amy,

You know what I love about February? Valentine’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I do NOT love the distortion and commercialization of Valentine’s Day. I do NOT love the expectations of Valentine’s Day. And I’d be lying if I said there weren't a few Valentine’s days that I fell prey to the falsehood "there's something wrong and unloveable about me because I don't have a special someone" with whom to celebrate.

Now that we’ve cleared that out of the way - here’s what I LOVE about Valentine’s Day: I and LOVE and YOU!!! I invite you - take the whole month and plant, cultivate, nurture, grow LOVE. LOVE for YOU, your community, your family, your friends, your pets, your neighbors - Including the ones who challenge you, your ex-spouses, The driver who cuts you off in traffic And the person ordering a coffee in front of you with a billion add-ons and exceptions.

I wonder if the effect will last? Like people participating in “dry January” drink less all year, I wonder if participating in “LOVE MORE February” will increase Living on Love all year long? Let’s try together! I’ll start.

If you’ve already forgotten, We are Loved!
Amy

P.S. I’m not affiliated with The Avett Brothers. Listening to their music may positively impact your health.

Healthy Life Health & Wellness Coaching
myhealthylife.coach

FAQs about LOVE and saying NO

Does loving people mean I have to agree with them?

~Absolutely not. Love is not conforming to someone else’s thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. Love is respecting differences, being curious and questioning for understanding, and being brave enough to share your real self.

Does loving people mean I have to do what they say?

~No. You can love someone and make the choices that are right for you. In fact, it is a loving thing to do to take responsibility for your own life and decisions, even when they turn out to have difficult consequences. Choices and consequences are YOURS, no one else’s.

Does loving people mean I should take their advice?

~No. Loving people means accepting who they are. Their advice may be a good fit for you - it may not be. Take what you need, and leave the rest. If someone who loves you gets angry when they give you advice and you don’t follow it, that’s their problem, not yours.

Does loving people mean I know what is right for them?

~Whoa Nelly. No, nope, and triple no. Get out of their business, that’s control and future-telling, not loving.

Does loving people mean I have to take care of them?

~You never HAVE to take care of anyone. Caring for others from your commitment to serving and contributing is different from providing care out of a sense of obligation or fear. Sometimes loving people means “seeing their “BIG” , getting out of their way, and giving them the dignity and trust to struggle, grow, and relish their journey!

Can someone love me and still treat me in a way that I don’t like?

~There’s some debate here, and this is what I think: Yes. I know my brother loved me when we were growing up. Also, he sometimes punched me in the arm when I annoyed him. I believe love and poor behavior can exist at the same time. Here's the take home point - Do NOT fall victim to using the "but he/she really loves me" as an excuse to be treated poorly!! If someone loves you, and they treat you in ways that are NOT OK FOR YOU, it is OK to take measures to get away from that behavior.

Can I love someone and choose to have limited or no contact with them?

~Absolutely. Loving people is praying for them, holding them in a compassionate light, accepting them for who they are. None of those need be done in proximity or communication. The Ho’oponopono prayer is fabulous for this.

Can I love myself and still treat me in a way that I don’t like?

~For most of my life I said I loved myself, but my actions did not align with that. For example, I didn't stand up for myself, I tolerated a lot of behavior that was not ok, my self-talk was defeating, and I put my needs last. The result was feeling tired, overwhelmed, under-appreciated, angry and resentful. Living in our go-go-go, never enough, comparative culture, we are challenged to align our actions with our commitment to self-love and love of others. Connecting our behaviors with our "loving" commitments takes presence. Are you present enough to connect and behave accordingly? Me neither - but I am getting better. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Give yourself grace here when you miss the mark!❤️

How do I start loving me and making choices that reflect my self-love?

~So many ways… here’s my top three:

Get Support - for so many reasons, this is a journey best taken with others.
Expect gradual improvement and alignment. Shifts like this are not quick checklist items and will require resilience for backslides (see point #1).
Mind your intake. Surround yourself with music, TV, books, conversations, social media, magazines, activities, and people who pull you toward your highest and best self

Cool Tool, Tip or Resource

Healthy Life Health & Wellness Coaching Group Returns for 2025!

Starting February 11, we’re back with From HERE to THERE: A Journey of Women Evolving Together—our most complete group coaching experience yet.

Twice a month, join a powerful community of women ready to shift from overwhelmed to empowered, from stressed to aligned. Expect deep self-discovery, lasting habit changes, and the magic of growing together.

Curious? Click HERE to learn more!

Testimonial

“I love the community of women dedicated to improvement—their impact helps support me.” - Lucy P. (Group coaching client)

Healthy AF Podcast

Curious about GLP-1 RA drugs for weight loss? In this episode of Healthy AF, Amy breaks down the facts, latest updates, and how to optimize your health while on them. Tune in and get informed! 🎧✨

Watch HERE or Listen HERE!

Upcoming Events

📅 Save the Date: February 4, 2025

Join us for Beyond Your 'Busy' Lifestyle: Crafting a Life of Passion and Purpose—a FREE webinar designed to help you move past overwhelm and build a life you love. 🥰

🕖 When: Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 7:00 PM (EST)
📍 Where: Online via Zoom

Learn four steps to create an aligned, purposeful lifestyle📝✨. Don’t miss this opportunity!

SIGN UP HERE!

Coach Amy Chang

Amy Chang, MS, RN, NBC-HWC is a health coach who works with people struggling to lose weight, have enough energy, and choose better health to create healthy bodies, feeling more confident and empowered with peacefulness and ease.

Amy knows that people can accomplish more than they think they can, and with a little coaching people can have the health they really want to do all the stuff they want to do with all the people they love.

Amy is a board-certified health and wellness coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching

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