The Joy Diet - Risk

The Joy Diet
Martha Beck

Risk:

Every Day, Do at least one frightening thing that contributes to the fulfillment of your desires.

I can say that at this time in my life, I really do not need to do one frightening thing a day…. Maybe one a week is ok. In one sense I am a very conservative person and most people would say that I am not a risk taker… I am a safe person; I am not daring in the sky-diving, cliff-climbing, drive fast or reckless sense of the word. But if you look at some of the things that I have done in my life, they are daring or risky in another sense.
Most days, when I was growing up, just living in my house was frightening. At 17 I went to Manhattan for a college course for high school students… when I later attended Parson School of Design, also in Manhattan, I lived in Astoria, Queens and commuted on the subway. Back then it was what I needed to do because I wanted Parsons so much. Later, when I went back and really looked at the place where I lived, I could not believe it. I must have made my Mother and boyfriend (who is now my husband) so nervous during those years… but I was following my dream.
My husband and I went through 6 years of infertility and then adopted two beautiful children….Six years ago we packed up everything and moved 3000 miles to start over…Three years ago I was given the diagnosis of breast cancer… I chose every treatment that would reduce my risk of reoccurrence.

So when I read this chapter… I understood what Martha was saying, but right now I am not in “survival” mode. For once in my life I can stop and just enjoy each day. For me, I have to practice just enjoying each day… Many of us who have a lot of turmoil or risk in our lives do not really know what to do when it is not there. It is a new normal that we have to get used to. I know many of you reading this may not understand… but I also know there are many of you out there who are shaking their heads in agreement. I have been working hard on the “you are not in survival mode”… but I also know if I am called upon my survival instincts will kick in and I will put up my dukes and fight.

I did move one step closer to one of my professional desires this week… I am not sure if it was risk taking or I just had to set my mind to do it. There is a store locally that I think my artwork would fit in well with. I had the requirements for new artists for awhile but I had just not sent in any samples. So this week I sent in some samples… I will let you know when I hear back from the shop…

This is an older collage that I am using as my vision card this week….

The Joy Diet - Creativity

The Joy Diet
Martha Beck

Creativity:

Every Day, conceptualize and write down at least one new, concrete idea that will help you obtain something your heart desires.


I have to say this chapter was not as fun as the title suggests. Whenever I see the word Creativity, I usually enjoy it.

At first I thought it was because my sister was visiting and I did not spend enough time or concentration on the chapter. Then I read some of the other responses to the chapter and laughed out loud! It was not that I was not spending enough time or attention … it was that we all could have just read the main statement…written or sketched a creative idea or ideas and be done for the day! I almost think the order of the ingredients is out of order. I would have placed creativity after nothing… being creative and just letting things flow would have lead us to truth and in turn to our true desires. I think this chapter was more about analyzing than creativity.

So my do one thing different is to NOT do all of the exercises and analyzing that Martha is telling us to do in this chapter…

That in turn should help me realize my desire of staying healthy and having more time!!!

this painting was my response to a series of questions exploring "my birth purpose"

The Joy Diet - Desire

The Joy Diet
Martha Beck

Desire:

Each Day, Identify, Articulate, and explore at least one of your Heart’s Desires.

Ah yes desire… I have pretty much always lived in the future… when I get this or accomplish this… As a young girl it is what kept me alive…

I thought about this a lot this week… I still want certain material things in life… stuff for the house… or the kids… a few nice vacations… Hawaii, Italy…

But then when I really thought about it … what do I truly desire?

I have to go back to that darn cancer lesson list again… what I truly desire are things that money cannot buy…

Good Health and Time

My sister is here visiting, so I am sharing an older painting as my vision card this week…this way I can fulfill my desire to spend time with her!

The Joy Diet - Truth

The Joy Diet
Martha Beck

Truth:

Create and Absorb at Least One Moment of Truth Each Day

This chapter was so important and teaching for me. I think I have almost the whole chapter underlined as so much of was written spoke so deeply to me. Truth and/or the lack of truth has played such a major part in my life. This week I really tried to focus on behaviors and the underlying truth in those behaviors. If I started to think about a painful situation and started my mind spin game, I tried to stop and get to the truth of my behavior, my feelings and the whole situation.

This was particularly useful in the following situation. A friend treated me poorly (in my opinion). I felt very hurt and sad. I kept replaying the event in my mind (which made me mad and anxious), but then I stopped. I told myself that I really needed to look for the truth in the situation, my feelings and my reaction to the whole event. This person has at least twice before done similar things. I have even told this person my feelings and told them that they could not treat me this way. Obviously it is still happening. I thought about my 5 year friend/relationship with this person. Perhaps my actions trigger emotions in her that make her treat me the way she does? The economy is adding more stress to people’s lives… maybe it is financial stress? I know she likes me and considers me a friend, but maybe this is just how she treats her friends?

When I thought with my heart I found this truth: I like this person, but I cannot change how this person treats me or others. I can only change my involvement with her and her organization. If I choose to spend time with this person then I must take the chance that she can and most likely will hurt me again. I have to remind myself that just because a feeling is familiar does not make it good, positive or healthy. The emotional truth does hurt but I think the continued wishing (denial) that I will be treated differently hurts more.

This week, when I found myself feeling/acting a certain way or obsessing about an event, I tried to stop and think of the underlying emotional truth. It really helped me to stay more present… stay in the now. and have a good week...

So here is my vision/reminder card for this week: