Lesson 21: Love Doesn't Hurt

These workbook questions were curated by Martha Beck. The goal is to continue the conversation and go deeper into the lesson. Your answers are private, no one else can see them.

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Write down how you would define love. Is there any part of it that feels bad?

Do any of your relationships feel heavy, draining, or painful? Why?

What are you doing because you fear another person's anger? What are you doing out of guilt (or fear of guilt)?

What do you think will happen if you end a bad relationship? Are you absolutely sure the outcome would be negative?

Given that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, what can you expect the people in your life to keep doing?

Who always leaves you feeling better about yourself? Who leaves you feeling worse about yourself?

Do you feel truly loved, or does some of the love you get from others come with conditions? What are they? And what conditions do you put on the love you extend to others?

Where have you betrayed your own trust by remaining in a situation where another person let you down or actively harmed you, physically or emotionally?

If you remain connected with someone who hurts or upsets you, can you trust yourself to handle the damage they inflict?

Published on November 07, 2011

From letting go of anger to believing in yourself, look back at some of the greatest lessons Oprah learned during 25 seasons of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

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