The Joy Diet - Connection

I had a profound experiece with the Joy diet twice this week. First see this post Its where I talk about what happened earlier in the week. After that I had started reading the chapter about connections. I decided to use the process with a person at one of my Nanowrimo write ins. It was very powerful. When I thought of this person and came to the tell the truth area and I really had to discover what was it about the person that was driving me nuts.

As in most of the cases of telling the truth I discovered I had made up a story about the person in question. When I faced the truth I decided that he pushed all my buttons, but what I was thinking about him was not true, it was a story I had made. I stepped back and looked at it all objectively and it was not that big a deal. I was able to let go and realize the relationship for what it was. Then when I saw this person again, I was fine, the person had not changed but I had I was able to deal with it logically and creatively and now the relationship is so much better. thank you Martha Beck.

Several times throughout this book I would think I don't want to do this but persevered because I was committed to the book, I signed up for the duration and I wasn't going to be a quitter. I am glad I stuck with it. This last chapter really showed me how to use all these ideas in the context of my own life. Thanks to Jamie for hosting this group.

The Joy Diet - Play

Well as usual I did not think that the Play chapter would be what it was really about. That Martha Beck is a little tricky writer.

One of the first things we are to figure out what our real career ia. After thinking about this for awhile I decided that I just went through this discovery when I did the coaching with Jamie. I had decided my real career is creativity. All my life I have explored it in many forms. I think I move from mouse vision to eagle vision all the time. I'd have to say its mostly mouse vision. I often forget to look at the big picture, the big dream. that sometimes all these little things do make the dream possible.

Then we are to go on and discover ways to add play in ever aspect of life. Seems simple enough. This morning I added play to cleaning my house by putting on wonderful upbeat music. It did make the time go by fast and it was fun.

Now I have to figure a way to add play to doing Nanowrimo. Some days its fun, I know I try to make the write ins I host fun by giving away little gifts and always having chocolate on hand. Other days I don't know what to write and I stress about the word count and all. So today I am going to look for ways to make it fun. Maybe using rewards will help make it fun, wearing a silly hat while I write or some other prop to let the silly in.

How will you invite play into your life today....

The Joy Diet - RISK

I really liked this chapter. I resonated with everything that Martha said. I think that is because it reminded me so much of the Be Brave project that Jessie started a couple years ago. I participated for thirty days and it really did change my life.

Now does that mean I spent the week risking all over the place. Not really, I have been swamped with life. I think the only think I really risked was sharing with a few people what my Nanowrimo novel was going to be about this year. Although that is a small risk I still think it counts. So I guess I should be risking that here too, so here goes.

This is just a rough idea, so my story will be about 5 women who meet at an Art retreat like Squam or Artfest. They become friends and meet yearly to reconnect. One of them will lose a child and be unable to recover. That is where the friends will come in. The five of them will take a journey, either a camping trip, a trek accross the US or Europe,(I haven't decided yet)to help her heal.

Through this trip the women will all deal with some kind of loss. Some will be from their past and some will be current. So am hoping to have humor and adventures along the way. Ok that wasn't so hard, the butterflies in my stomach have gone away. Risk is easy well maybe not. Its after you'v e done it that you realize it wasn't that big a thing after all. Thats the easy part. I think the more you do it the easier it gets. I am sure that is why Jessie's project was so life changing.

What little thing can you do today to further your creative dreams.

The Joy Diet - Creativity

This past week in the Joy Diet, Martha had us look at creativity. The way we are looking at it is in terms of following our dreams. We agree to do one creative thing to work on our dreams.

I found it difficult to focus on this. If my dream involves creativity how do I use creativity to be creative on my dream. I sort of do something like this. When I am not writing or making art I try to think of things that I can do to jump start those areas of my life. In some ways I am a person who does not like a strict schedule so often I make plans that I do not follow through with. Then I need to go through the process all over again. As a result I do not make much progress. It like that phrase Jamie talked about in the video, if you do the same thing the same way you get the same results. I need to find a new way. For someone who wants to write a book I sure spend a lot of time avoiding doing just that.

Jamie suggested that we ask our fellow bloggers on this journey with us for advice and suggestions. So here goes, one of my issues is scheduling time for writing and sticking to it. I spend so much time on the computer, either in classes, blogging or email etc that I feel I need to get off the machine sometimes. I have been thinking if I could distinguish my writing time differently that might help.

Sometime I do write in a notebook but I still have to transfer to the computer so that really does not solve the initial problem. Or I have thought to take my laptop to a different room or go to a cafe. I do rituals to get me in the art mode so perhaps a ritual for writing. I do have quotes and things on the wall in front of my desk that inspire but perhaps I need something physical that I can do that will be different when I am doing serious writing vs all the play writing I do online. Any ideas anyone?

The Joy Diet - Desire

This week in Martha Becks book The Joy Diet we concentrated on Desire. She suggested that each day, we should identify, articulate, and explore at least one of your heart's desires. What is one thing you really want? Each day you may think of something new. You think that this would have been simple but I seemed to avoid it most of the week.

Wednesday I took a walk for my do nothing portion and I started to thing about desire and my choice for the day was to become a better artist. I think that I am taking steps in that direction. Taking Gut Art has already done that for me.

Of course after rereading the text I think that is more a surface desire and perhaps the desires that I have are deeper. Most of my desires really resolve around art and writing and completing those projects to my satisfaction but what really comes after that. If I look deeper into those desires I realize perhaps my desire is not to have a published book or be a better artist but more that I want my work to affect others and inspire them to follow their dreams. I want to foster connection between myself and others. Those are my desires on another level.

Then Jamie talked about feeling your desire in your body on her video. I had not thought of that until she mentioned it. Sometimes I feel it in my heart and other times I feel it in my gut.

This weeks collage was easy I chose the artist because that is what I desire and the women were from the Artnest retreat a few years back. They symbolize connection. I saw the woman blowing the bubbles as my little desires growing up to become big and wonderful and fulfilled. I am finding that when I do the collage for each week it seems to reinforce the idea in my brain somehow. It is as though the week is not complete until I have done the collage. Perhaps there is a connection with art and mind. Next week we study creativity now there is something I know about. I am looking forward to that chapter.

The Joy Diet - Truth

In the Joy Diet book group facilitated by Jamie Ridler we are on to chapter 2 which is all about truth. The truths that we tell ourselves and the stories we create around them. She asked that after we did our 15 minutes of nothing that we ask these questions.

What am I feeling?
What hurts?
What is the painful story I am telling?
Can I be sure my story is true"?
Is my story working?
Can I think of another story that might work better?

When I tried this I always felt in a good mood. I didn't have any hurts so I really did not do this exercise well at all.

Now this morning I was doing my morning pages and I started thinking about this. so I tried it again.

What am I feeling? Overwhelmed
What hurts? that I have done this again, when will I learn.
What is the painful story I am telling? That I have taken on too many things and that I will not have the time to do everything.
Can I be sure my story is true"? NO
Is my story working? No I think it adds more stress
Can I think of another story that might work better? Yes I can. I now realize well yes I have a lot on my plate right now and I will have plenty of time to do it all.

Now this time I saw the exercise in a positive light. I could see how it could be helpful to me.














This is my collage card. I didn't make it till today. I couldn't decide what truth really look like. So I just did whatever came to me. I saw the woman contemplating her life and I saw the little girl as the part of ourselves we should not deny. The sweaters are for the simplicity of life. Truth at its core is very simple I think we are the pones that make it harder. The sunflowers for their beauty, they always make me smile and the words are self evident. To really see the truth you need to open your eyes and look at the issue from a new perspective. I think that is what Martha Beck is having us do.

The Joy Diet - Nothing

This past week the Joy Diet group focused on doing nothing for 15 minutes a day. I had it easy this week. I have spent the week camping in the Tetons. It was easy to be able to do nothing every day. It is also pretty much a part of my usual routine so I had no difficulty. That is not to say that I didn't have my mind wandering all over the place I think that is just part of the process. I like to have time to meditate daily but sometimes I don’t get to it. I just don't take the time.

This week was a reminder how important that is for me. The other thing is I like how Martha gives you options for the process, like being in motion. I so appreciate that she doesn't say you have to do it this way or nothing. A transition is so helpful.

One of things Jamie asked us to do was to make little vision cards for the week. I really didn’t have the materials to do a Joy card while I was out here. This is the one I made when I got home.













This is also the one I made on doing nothing…… I toyed with the idea of just a blank card but then I decided visuals were important. Visions of beautiful surroundings are important when I do nothing and I thought a time piece was very important. To make my cards I took an 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock and cut in half. It is a small size to work with and I think it works well. These could be done on any size but I do like the small size as you could carry it with you as a reminder for the day.

The Joy Diet

The Joy Diet starts today. It is the latest book that the Next Chapter book blogging group is undertaking with the wonderful Jamie Ridler at the helm. I think we could all use a little more joy in our lives.

The book has ten ingredients for Joy

NOTHING: Do nothing for fifteen minutes a day. Stop
mindlessly chasing goals and figure out which goals are
worth going after.

TRUTH: Create a moment of truth to help you unmask what
you're hiding--from others and from yourself.

DESIRE: Identify, articulate, and explore at least one of
your heart's desires--and learn how to let yourself want
what you want.

CREATIVITY: Learn six new ways to develop at least one
new idea to help you obtain your heart's desire.

RISK: Take one baby step toward reaching your goal. The
only rule is it has to scare the pants off you.

TREATS: Give yourself a treat for every risk you take and
two treats just because you're you. No exceptions. No
excuses.

PLAY: Take a moment to remember your real life's work and
differentiate it from the games you play to achieve it.
Then play wholeheartedly.

LAUGHTER: Laugh at least thirty times a day. Props
encouraged.

CONNECTION: Use your Joy Diet skills to interact with
someone who matters to you.

FEASTING: Enjoy at least three square feasts a day, with
or without food"

I think this will be lots of fun.. why don't you join us... You can sign up here












I found this wonderful site today called From Clutter to Shine and and have joined the Sisterhood of the Purple Bicycle. I love the idea and I always like to spread ideas. Go check it out here