Joy's Journal
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:21 pm
Good morning!
Oh, I love this concept and this site. It makes so much darned sense to me!
Here's my story in a nutshell:
55-year-old woman. The only thing I don't overdo is moderation. Seven years ago, I weighed 240 lbs. on my 5'6" frame. Then I became an exercise and diet addict and got down to 140 lbs.
At age 52, my life exploded with stress (two teenagers both developed serious, life-altering mental illnesses; my older son has high functioning autism to boot). My spine crumbled from arthritis and I needed two emergency surgeries to save my spinal cord, which put an end to my exercise-as-I-knew-it (which was excessive, high-intensity, and ultra-endurance.)
So..........in the past 3 years I put on 50 pounds, intermittently trying Weight Watchers and low-carb dieting, with no lasting success.
The one good thing I have done for myself is to cultivate the practice of self-compassion and kindness through a dedicated meditation practice. This helps.
It also leads me to appreciate the beauty of the "Middle Way"---neither rigidly ascetic nor overly indulgent. In fact, I am cultivating exactly the habits the No-S way of life endorses: gentle discipline, measured indulgence, moderate exercise. I say yay to such beautiful common sense.
Because I am the sole caregiver for my two disabled children, my life can seem very small from the outside. I cannot really travel; I often cannot keep plans that take me away from home for any length of time. Five years ago my "Bucket List" had things on it like hike the Appalachian Trail, cycle across America, live for half a year on a Tuscan villa. None of those things are likely to happen now, because of the circumstances of my life.
So now my "Bucket List" has only one thing on it:
Life richly and deeply, wisely and well, with as much authenticity and sweetness as possible.
As a former athlete, I know that discipline is not a dirty word.
I'm happy to be here.
Here are the habits I am in the practice of cultivating (apart from No-S's):
1. Meditative practice of one sort or another daily.
2. One Housekeeping Duty daily.
3. One walk of at least 10 minutes daily.
4. One Housekeeping task daily.
5. Take proper supplements daily.
6. No-S guidelines daily.
This is what I will be checking in daily with. It's good to be here, in the land of the moderates!
Joy
Oh, I love this concept and this site. It makes so much darned sense to me!
Here's my story in a nutshell:
55-year-old woman. The only thing I don't overdo is moderation. Seven years ago, I weighed 240 lbs. on my 5'6" frame. Then I became an exercise and diet addict and got down to 140 lbs.
At age 52, my life exploded with stress (two teenagers both developed serious, life-altering mental illnesses; my older son has high functioning autism to boot). My spine crumbled from arthritis and I needed two emergency surgeries to save my spinal cord, which put an end to my exercise-as-I-knew-it (which was excessive, high-intensity, and ultra-endurance.)
So..........in the past 3 years I put on 50 pounds, intermittently trying Weight Watchers and low-carb dieting, with no lasting success.
The one good thing I have done for myself is to cultivate the practice of self-compassion and kindness through a dedicated meditation practice. This helps.
It also leads me to appreciate the beauty of the "Middle Way"---neither rigidly ascetic nor overly indulgent. In fact, I am cultivating exactly the habits the No-S way of life endorses: gentle discipline, measured indulgence, moderate exercise. I say yay to such beautiful common sense.
Because I am the sole caregiver for my two disabled children, my life can seem very small from the outside. I cannot really travel; I often cannot keep plans that take me away from home for any length of time. Five years ago my "Bucket List" had things on it like hike the Appalachian Trail, cycle across America, live for half a year on a Tuscan villa. None of those things are likely to happen now, because of the circumstances of my life.
So now my "Bucket List" has only one thing on it:
Life richly and deeply, wisely and well, with as much authenticity and sweetness as possible.
As a former athlete, I know that discipline is not a dirty word.
I'm happy to be here.
Here are the habits I am in the practice of cultivating (apart from No-S's):
1. Meditative practice of one sort or another daily.
2. One Housekeeping Duty daily.
3. One walk of at least 10 minutes daily.
4. One Housekeeping task daily.
5. Take proper supplements daily.
6. No-S guidelines daily.
This is what I will be checking in daily with. It's good to be here, in the land of the moderates!
Joy
