The Joy Diet
This post is the continuation of A Moment of Grace, describing my journey from despair to breakthrough.
Since that breakthrough, my thoughts and attitudes towards my body have radically changed. The mean-spiritedness and disgust that pervaded my relationship with my body are virtually gone. Of course, sometimes I still think some of the old thoughts (i.e., “You need to loose 10 pounds by tomorrow!”); but I can’t take them seriously. Only a crazy person would.
Another wonderful thing happened: buried in the rubble of my past relationship with my body, I found a positive memory and experience that is fueling my new life.
Flash back to 1992:
Pregnant, I feel free in my body for the first time. Unconcerned with my weight, I am proud of my growing belly. I eat in alignment with what my body needs by really listening. This is a foreign but welcome practice. I marvel at the cellular and systemic intelligence that it requires no bullying or trickery from me. I feel a truly joyful partnership with my body!
This memory inspires me and leads me to the present-day Joy Diet. One based on partnership and rooted in love. It requires that I slow down enough to really listen to my body (and not my mind’s idea of what my body wants or needs!). I regularly ask, “What will bring me the most joy?”
Sometimes it’s exercise such as biking or walking. Sometimes a nap, or sharing a bowl of ice cream with my husband. This joy diet is powerful and real only when I’m in the present moment — rather than pining for a smaller dress size in my future. The result is a profound sense of happiness.
How humbling and ironic that all those years when I was chasing happiness in a dress size … all along it was patiently waiting for me, right here.
What do you suppose is waiting right here for you? My invitation to you is is this: for the next 30 days ask your body this question and follow its true answer:
What will bring me the most joy?
Michelle Goss experiences great joy in both the mundane (watching really good TV!) and the meaningful (loving her husband, daughter, and wonderful friends...and sometimes watching really good TV with them!) Michelle joyfully provides coaching for groups and individuals who want to experience greater happiness and success. MichelleGoss.com
Mmm; delicious Michelle.
Loved how you write that you found it easier to eat joyfully and in alignment with what your body needed when you were pregnant . Playing with that concept, I’d offer up this perspective: since we’re always pregnant with our own possibilities, perhaps we should be thinking about nurturing and feeding that “baby” (right, baby?)
I LOVE this diet Michelle. Thanks so much for making so much sense. The revelation that your own imperfect picture of yourself got in your way is powerful!
What brought me joy yesterday was eating a whole pot of macaroni and cheese with tuna! Okay, maybe I was trying to not feel the anger and frustration about losing something I had been working on for almost 2 hours on my computer! Where the joy came in was that I did not beat myself up for eating all of it. I enjoyed it as i let myself go back for another serving and then another and yes, then another. Joy made it yummy–and then a salad for dinner, by choice and off for a walk now. Thanks for putting into words, what I am working on creating with my relationship with food, glorious food…..