|
|
|
|
December 6, 2010 Hi {!firstname_fix} I went and got a Christmas tree this week. I think it qualifies as a *rescue* tree. I said, 'I want a small one.' So he brought a little tree out, but it was only 3/4 formed. The back quarter was missing. I thought,' Oh it's perfect, it is going in the corner, so this will make it fit better.' Then yesterday, Harold came and put up the lights and brought in all the stuff from the shed. Up went the sign I made that says Feliz Navidad, up went the poinsettias on the post, up went the handcarved Santa from the museum of folk art in rural Kentucky, up went the Santa that my kids gave me one year, many, many years ago. We took the pink chair back out to the guest room to make a space for the tree. I will do that today. And then finally I plugged in the little Christmas tree I have that is covered in Golden Retrievers.This afternoon I will make up the stocking for the YLD stocking exchange. Things are feeling fun! Thank you for your patience in sorting out the play class! This classes will begin Wednesday, December 7, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page: Using Radiant Resources (4 weeks) is a free orientation for those of you who are brand new and would like to find your way around town. Come sit on the top of our double-decker bus for a guided tour. And even if you are not brand new, this is a really fun class to reconnect with all the treats of the community. This classes will begin Wednesday, December 14, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page: Holy Night (2 weeks) is reflection to help you shift gears into the real meaning of Christmas. The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned. Please wait to sign up for classes until a week or two before, and do not sign up for classes that are not yet scheduled. A number of you have asked me how the classes work. Check the class list page for more information on this. And please go read the questions and answers before you write to me. If you have trouble getting through the process, write the tech forum. Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery website and Community Forum regularly. Warmly, Kathleen **********************************************************************
** Quote From Kathleen ** When you feel your worst and can't cope with anything, just go back to eating breakfast with protein every day. **********************************************************************
** Testimonial of the Week ** Last night at chat, I gave a glimpse of my story and realized there were a lot of you who have not heard it. I found RR almost 10 years ago at the age of 55. I knew I was a sugar addict and decided to give this a try to see if I could get control over my obsession with sugary things. I had no clue that it would lead to so much more. I started with breakfast, connected to the forum every day (it was much smaller then and we didn’t have the step lists yet.) I learned to trust those who had gone before me and hoped that it would work for me too. I signed up for Ranch as soon as I figured out what it was. In those days, Kathleen did a guided meditation at Ranch (before we had the Safe Place CD). My picture of me was behind a huge brick wall. I continued to do the food, progress through the steps and connected every day. I also went to Ranch every year. The meditations continued to show me behind that wall, but there were now chinks developing in it. It wasn’t as tall or as thick. Here I was in my late 50’s realizing that I had no idea who I was. My parents, my husband, my children knew only my mask. I could agree with any opinion because I was unable to state my own. As Kathleen said, I was a good wife and mother. What she didn’t add was that I had helped my husband start and develop a successful medical practice – more than once. (We moved and started over – twice!) I was president of the PTA. I was treasurer of a club. To the world, I was a successful woman. To me, I was a frightened C57 mouse hiding behind my wall petrified that my fraud would be discovered by all these people who thought I had it all together. I think it was at the Ranch after I had been on step 7 for 5 years, we did the guided meditation again. At the end of the meditation, when we drew what we had seen; I was crying. All the bricks from that huge wall were scattered around my feet. Here I was at age 60 faced with discovering who I truly am. It was about being ready to face that, to stepping into my big self. Since then, the journey has continued. I keep learning more about myself. I am enjoying finally appreciating my accomplishments. I can feel pride in what I have done and continue to do. If anything gets wonky in my food, I know it right away because those old fears and doubts rear their heads. Jean G asked in chat last nigh. why the oldtimers stick around. I can only speak for myself. This program is my rock – my touchstone. I do not want to ever go back to where I was before. I remember being where the newer people are and how important it was for me to follow those who had gone before me. If my story can help any of you, it is a gift to me. I’m sorry this got so long. I hope it helps some of you who are early in this journey. Vicki **********************************************************************
** Radiant Ambassadors ** 
What do you say to people when they ask about why you eat the way you eat? There has been much discussion about this very topic within the community.I particularly loved Kim's response - "I have found a simple, 'I'm allergic to sugar and white flour' solves the problem. If pressed, I tell them I break out in fat - they laugh and we change the subject!" What phrases do you use? I'd love to compile a list of different ways of approaching talking about the food!! Selena selenas@blueyonder.co.uk Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. **********************************************************************
** How I Found Radiant Recovery ** Hi, I am Nancy from southeastern Alaska, I have just started on Step one in the last week and I have been reading the book The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery. I found this book by doing a search on google. I have read it once and I am in the process of reading it again. It sure applies to me. I am not overweight, but I get depressed when I eat sugar and when I even try to stay off of it. I am one of those who cannot eat one piece, but I have to eat the whole thing. Then I try and exercise it off. So I am really looking forward to working this plan. **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. Just thought I would remind you of two products in our store this week. We are are carrying 2 vitamin powders called All One. Kathleen has always loved this company and their products. The powders are a great alternative for those of you who make your own shakes. You can adjust the dosage easily. Kathleen thinks these are the best vitamins on the market. We ordered two different ones:
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
** Radiant Kitchen **
This is a recipe I found on a package of Tesco's oats a
couple of years ago now.
I happen to love this - it combines protein and complex carbs and I ate it with my morning coffee early in step 3 as I was giving up the danish pastry. if you need more protein you could eat it with cheese. Karen My oven has celsius and fahrenheit on it...says we need 350 degrees for those in the U.S.
For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store. **********************************************************************
** Radiant Conversations ** The great annual stocking exchange is up and running. Every year for the last two years, we have set up a data base for YLD members to pick someone to create a secret stocking for. It has been an incredible hit. In fact it is the highlight of my Christmas. So we will continue it. If you are a member and are shy about it, we will be sharing on the YLD list about how it works. And even if you are not Christian and have never had a stocking, it doesn't matter...we offer tutorials...and it is totally non-denominational...Come join us! If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you want to be a part of the latest and greatest or just have some plain ol' fun! **********************************************************************
** Our Online Groups ** 
Hi, I’m Jeannie, the liaison for the Radiant Step 6 list. Perhaps you are steady on the first five steps and contemplating your sugar detox. Or you may already be on step six but struggling. You may be wondering why you are bored or restless, since sugar detox was supposed to solve everything--wasn’t it? Or maybe you’d like to share your excitement about reaching this milestone in your program. If so, come join us on the Step 6 list! We offer support and encouragement in achieving a successful sugar detox and in holding tight until everything settles down afterward. We are learning more all the time about this fascinating step and how profoundly it transforms our bodies and brains.
**********************************************************************
**What if None of This Has to be Hard ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
As many of you know, we often talk about addiction to misery and always believing that things have to be *hard*. Here is the original reflection that started this dialogue in our community.. What if none of it has to be hard? This is the radical thought that has followed me home from Ranch. Kathleen had been talking about addiction to misery and how it seems to be one of the easier pieces of our sug sen puzzle to fix - it doesn't have t be hard. And then she blurts out what if none of it has to be hard? I think most everyone's instant reaction was "huh? I don't think so," me included. But the hair on the back of my neck stood up when she said that. And I have not been able to get this idea out of my mind. I was listening to a (country) CD in the car and it seemed every song was about some kind of "hard". And a voice in my head is saying "What if it doesn't have to be hard?" I looked at my shoes that have been by my bed for weeks now patiently waiting for me to wake, shake, walk. And the voice again "What if it doesn't have to be hard?" I came home to what could have felt like and overwhelm of laundry, no groceries, starting the potato and the need to gain weight. But what if it doesn't have to be hard? And the laundry and groceries got done. The potatoes are ready in the fridge. I'm remembering to eat a little more than usual. These are, I realize, simple things, easy to not be hard. But what if none of it has to be hard? I've been thinking about why I am so invested in things being "hard". I was brought up in a culture that taught 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps', 'nothing worth having is easy', 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger', 'true beauty lies in struggle and pain' and so on. And I am very attached to the idea of having been "brave" in my recovery journey. I think the dopamine boosting reward factor is in play, too when I feel I've done something "hard". So what happens if I let go of the idea of doing what's hard = worthy accomplishment. If it's easy will there be that sense of accomplishment? Will the act of letting go of "hard" be the accomplishment? Maybe it is all in the re-framing. What if instead of "hard" and "how can I possibly do what seems impossible and just too difficult and where in the world do I start?" the "hard" thing becomes a challenge and the doing of it an adventure? The feeling/idea of my life being an adventure instead of a struggle is something I have been becoming aware of as I've done my post detour work. If I stop and look at the past 7 months what started out as hard became easy. Not easy as in in being a piece of cake (sorry) but easy as in being a joy to do. I have come to think of my regular life as a grand adventure, too. It still has it's moments of scary-as-all-get-out but it doesn't spook me any more. And I think maybe that is another key - seeing "easy" as joyous instead of just easy and not really valuable. So if "hard" becomes an adventure and "easy" becomes a joyous thing to do, then "what if none of it has to be hard" becomes pursuing the business of life as a joyous adventure. This idea feels incredibly real and true to me. Would I have been ready for it at the beginning of recovery? I honestly don't know. I think I might have said "this is nuts, I'm outta here". It's hard (no make that it's a joyous adventure ;-) ) to turn our long held, deeply embedded, highly invested way of being in the world upside down with such a radical thought. I am ready to give it a go. By the way, I got up and put my shoes on and walked for 20 min. this morning :-D Turns out it didn't have to be hard. I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this idea of it doesn't have to be hard. Thanks as always for listening to my long ramble. Janice in Maryland Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:
Gretel, our webmaster, puts it all together. David runs the Radiant Recovery® Store. Selena provides the weekly Ambassadors column. Emily shares a recipe. Tina tells us what's happening on Facebook. ©2010 Kathleen DesMaisons. All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your ezine or website as long as you leave the content unaltered, use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®", and notify kathleen@radiantrecovery.com of the location. Please visit the Radiant Recovery® website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction. You are getting the weekly newsletter from Radiant Recovery® in response to your signup. A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/ |
