|
|
|
|
June 24, 2013 Hi {!firstname_fix} Well, it has been a week since I came back to the land of dry. Gosh, the dust sifts in everywhere. Actually, the dogs roll in it for their spa treatments and then come in and shake so a fine sprinkling of NM earth gets laid on everything. I invested in some 360 swiffer dust pads. Yep, they work as advertised. I brought back a few treasures from my brother's house - things that belonged to my mother. One is a wooden box made of mahogany that my grandfather made. It was very grubby so I spent a few hours cleaning it and discovered that there are brass inlays on the corners and it has brass hinges and a tiny lock as well. It is lined with cobalt blue velvet and had a set of silver fingernail tools that I assume were my grandmother's. They are chamois buffers. I found a restoration place that will replace the chamois. Restoration means more *rescue*...just can't help myself, LOL, bring life to things. Today's newsletter has a few extra things in it, I hope you will bear with me as we do a little catching up. This class will begin Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
This class will begin Wednesday, July 3, 2013. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned. 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 ** Once you experience a week of radiance, you will always return to it. Your molecules will remember and want it. **********************************************************************
**Testimonial of the Week ** Joy dot: cuddling with my youngest dog, Seamus. I think he thinks he's a cat. You know how cats always sit on your newspaper or book, or get between you and your computer keyboard? (my cat doesn't, but she lives with 5 dogs and I think she thinks she's a dog.) Anyway, I was reading in bed, and Seamus got in my lap and sat on my book (all 50 pounds of him), and kept getting between me and my book. At one point, I managed to get control of the book and get it between me and him, and then his head popped up over the book and he rested his chin on the top of it and stared at me. I started laughing and gave up. I've been doing the program for over 14 years, and have been on step 7 for a long time, so sometimes my life before the program seems very far away, as if it happened to someone else. But something happened recently that made me think about those days, and how much my life has changed. About 10 days ago, a coworker's 22-year-old daughter committed suicide. It was a very sad and intense week at work, because there's another coworker whose stepson killed himself 2 years ago, and another one whose son was murdered, and they were going through a lot of emotional stuff. Thinking about this lovely young woman who couldn't see any way out but death made me remember how hard my life was before the program. I was so desperately unhappy. I felt that the universe and God hated me and were punishing me all the time. I always felt unloved and unlovable, and in groups I felt left out all the time. I went through times when life felt almost unbearable, and then it would get a little easier for a while. But it never felt good. I hated myself, and I had a voice in my head that was always telling me I was stupid and unlovable. I used to try to do positive thinking, but I could only do it for a short time before I was negative again, and then I'd be beating myself up for being negative. I was always feeling hurt and rejected, and I was afraid to feel happy, because it seemed like anytime I was happy, something bad would happen, and I thought God was punishing me for daring to be happy. Life felt like a horrible burden. It was something I had to get through, not something I enjoyed. My poor mother, I used to call her and unload all my misery on her. I was always in high drama mode. Doing the food totally changed my life. Thinking about how it used to be made me realize how calm my life is now. Sure, I have moments of unhappiness, but they are so different now, and I don't go through months or even years of intense misery. My feelings aren't hurt all the time. I don't interpret everything people do as having to do with me and being an insult or rejection. I don't feel like the universe hates me and is out to get me. I don't feel defective. No, I am not perfect, but I know my heart is in the right place and I am a good person. I have useful abilities. I no longer look in the mirror with hatred and loathing. I don't shop compulsively or get into bad relationships where I will be badly hurt. I still remember the day I realized the voice in my head was gone. It has never come back. My bad days now are like my good days back then. I'm so much more mellow now. I always had a sense of humor - it helped me survive. But my sense of humor isn't as dark as it used to be and I'm not as sarcastic. I'm less shy. I've done some things I never would have been able to before. And I enjoy my life now. It's no longer something I have to survive and endure. It is an opportunity. I see the good things now. My attention isn't all focused inward, in the black pit of my thoughts. I remember as I did the steps, when I was walking my dog, I started to notice things around me, like people's flowers, or butterflies and birds, or the clouds, instead of just being inside my head swirling around in awful thoughts. Now when I go through something hard, those things are a gift from the universe that helps me get through things. I still remember the first time I actually felt joy at being alive, a healthy joy, not the spiky joys I used to feel that were based on exterior things and were always followed by a huge crash. It was at my first ranch, back when we used to go to Ghost Ranch. I climbed a hill before breakfast and I was sitting up there, watching people walk by below, and watching the birds fly, and suddenly I was filled with joy at being alive. One of the ways I visualize the change in life is the game called crack the whip, where everyone holds hands, and they start turning. The person in the center spins slowly, and as you get farther away from the center, you are spinning madly from the centrifugal force. The person on the end is getting tossed around and has to run to keep up. Before the program, I felt like the person at the end of the line, being hurled around by events in my life. And now I feel like the person at the center. I am so thankful for this program. I wish my coworker's daughter could have found it. But I understand the kind of pain someone can feel that would make life unbearable. I am glad I kept going and did not give up. There is hope. Things can be better. I know it is hard to believe that food could make such a drastic difference in your life, but it really does. I remember the blackness lifting when I got enough of the right food. The changes I have experienced seem like a miracle. We can all experience this miracle. Allison **********************************************************************
**Radiant Ambassadors **  Did you know that there is a website called Yahoo Answers? Well, you do now! It's a website where you can ask a question about pretty much anything. Hopefully someone else will then come along with the answer. There's a fab question on there at the moment - "How to get rid of my chocolate and sugar addiction?" Anyone know a good answer to this? Go on over to yahoo and share :) If you come across anything that you think could be followed up by someone on the ambassadors list, feel free to post about it on the community forum. Or alternatively, come on over and join in the fun on the list! Selena selenas@blueyonder.co.uk Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. **********************************************************************
**How I Found Radiant Recovery ** Hi everyone, my name is Paula and I am from Western Australia. I am up to step two with my program, but just starting to do classes online so I am taking this and the step one class to really get a handle on everything. I came to the Radiant Recovery world by chance after many years of mood swings, binge eating, weight issues, depression, self harm, migraines and trying lots of things but never really finding anything that worked long term. On a trip to the local library with my son, the Potatoes Not Prozac book caught my eye and I am hopeful that this is will be the road to recovery for me. So far I have seen an improvement in some areas, so I am chugging along trying to trust the process. Warm regards, Paula **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. For any of you making travel plans, here are two great suggestions.
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
**Radiant Kitchen ** Strawberry Soup
Notes: If you use frozen strawberries, be sure to purchase unsweetened brands. You may wish to slightly thaw berries to make processing easier. This soup can be served as a refreshing appetizer or as a light dessert. The addition of black pepper may seem odd to you, but it is an old culinary trick which greatly enhances the fruitiness of the strawberries. Do give it a try! For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site. **********************************************************************
**Radiant YLD ** One of the very many things I love about YLD is the range of topics we talk about. This week it's been the weight loss clothing class, fitness programs and uncovering that complex relationship we have with our bodies to enable us to joyously release it to its limitless potential. Steph From Kathleen: I am in the process of refining and updating the material we work with. It makes the process so alive. Also, some of you may heard on the news that the AMA has declared that obesity is a *disease*. I thought you might like to read this rebuttal. I like the folks at Green Med. I think they are very thoughtful and I think this article is right on target. With No Evidence, AMA Votes that Obesity Is a Disease If you would like to join, come find us here **********************************************************************
**Radiant Conversations ** We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here. We talked about being in service in conversations chat last week. And it was fascinating to see that no matter where someone is in the process, they have experience, strength and hope to share with others. What a fun chat it was. I so look forward to our Monday discussions! If you would like to join us, you can do that below. Join YLD Weight Loss Now: click here - $99 Join Conversations 2011 Now: click here - $99 Join Both YLD and Conversations Now: click here - $149 Current YLD members wish to Upgrade to Both, click here - $49 If you are not a member, come and join us if you want to be a part of the latest and greatest or just have some plain ol' fun! **********************************************************************
**Our Online Groups ** We have had a lot of new people coming into the program and often are first drawn to the local area lists. We call them *Geo groups*... many of them have sat quietly for a while. The Brits and the folks in New York City are getting excited about their meetings. They get together for lunch at the local Whole Foods. Everyone can choose what food is best for her or him. In conversations chats, we were googling where the Whole Foods were. We even found one in Idaho... I am looking for people who are a little more experienced in the program who might be willing to serve as a point person for the local area groups. Selena will share what the Brits have been doing and why it works so well. If you love the program and would enjoy meeting other folks in your area, will you email me? **********************************************************************
**The Mystery of Joy Dots ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
I know that many of you have heard the term *joy dots* being talked about in the community. You may have seen people posting their *joys* and thought it was a pleasant exercise, but you really had no context. I thought it would be fun if we talked some about the idea. THis will let you share in the excitement they bring us. So here is the back story. Our depression list was the very first list we ever started in the community. For many years, it was a pretty grim place. People came in and shared about being depressed. It kinda went round and round and round. As people did the food, they usually left the list and joined the community in other places. A few years ago I was having a conversation with one of the women on the list about her being stuck. She was upset by the fact that she had been doing step 3 for years and could not get past it. She was pretty negative and grim. One day I challenged her to just write three things that she noticed during the day that gave her joy. I think this idea came out of the class I was teaching about the amygdala - the center of the brain that processes primal emotions like fear, anger and joy. At any rate, she agreed to do it. Later she admitted to me that she thought it was a really stupid idea and she only agreed to prove me wrong. She just started tacking three sentences on the bottom of her posts. *I noticed the flowers blooming in the garden* *I liked how the light was shining on the trees.* *There were dew drops on the spider web.* *My shake was yummy this morning.* They were simple declaratives and caught a joy moment. We called them *joy dots.* They were interesting, pleasant and no one really noticed them. Some time passed and one day I said, *Can you move those joy dots up to the top of your posts?* She did. And something very strange happened. Her tone changed. She was no longer grim. And she started looking at things in a different way. And then something even stranger happened. Other people on the list started doing the same thing. Joy dots first. And the list woke up. The energy shifted. Grim faded. The list started laughing. The members started connecting to each other. Now we call the depression list, the joy list. If you think it is silly, just try it. See what happens. Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them. Not a subscriber yet? Like what you have read? Sign up to get future issues delivered straight to you: http://www.radiantrecovery.com Until next time!
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. Steph provides the Your Last Diet column. ©2013 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/weeklynewsletter |
