The Joy Diet: Laughter

This week's Joy Diet menu item was laughter.  I will be honest and say that I did not get around to reading this chapter until Thursday night, which turns out to be exactly when I needed to see it.

I had a stressful day last Thursday.  So stressful that I felt like all I could muster the strength to do was crawl into bed with this book.  Beck writes, "The more stressful, dangerous, baffling, or unpleasant your situation, the more important it is to laugh at it."  I immediately thought, "Yeah right, Martha.  I am in no mood to laugh!  I just want to be annoyed and sad".  I closed the book and went to bed.

The next day I had to leave work to go take my Spanish language exit exam for graduate school, which you have to do well on to get your degree.  On the way there, the sky opened up and it rained sideways, soaking me even with an umbrella.  I was drenched.  I thought I didn't do so well on the test, which was devastating (I have been studying Spanish for almost 15 years now).  I fumed my whole way back to the office, my sneakers making squishing noises the entire time.  Then, when I got back and realized how silly the entire thing was and how little the entire past two days mean in the grand scheme of things,  I began to laugh.  And laugh some more.  It was nearly uncontrollable.  That night, I curled up with some tea and watched "The Wedding Crashers" in my pajamas.  The dark clouds, both outside and in my head, started to go away.  Then I spent the weekend watching episodes of "Glee", which I loved.  It's hysterical.  I'm starting to feel back to normal.

Okay, fine, Martha, so you were right.

"Living your right life is a process that needs the smoothing and bonding effects of laughter."

{Photo credit: sarniebill1}

My Blissful Weekend

I had one of the best weekends I have had in a long while.  I feel relaxed and rejuvenated and like I might just be able to handle the end of the semester/year at work without a meltdown.  

The weekend included:

-A visit from my wonderful boyfriend.  We hadn't seen each other in nearly a month.  It was great to have him here for a few days.

-Two homemade dinners: spinach and mushroom quiche/sweet potatoes/salad and salmon/veggies/corn bread.  And rice krispie treats!

-Watching "Bridget Jones' Diary" while snuggling  (Can you tell that my movie pick won out?!)

-A walk through Georgetown

-Lush bath bombs.  I stocked up for winter!  I was sad to hear that they are discontinuing the Hot Milk bubble bar.  But I did get plenty of Creamy Candy and Ma Bar bubble bars, as well as some Butterball and Big Blue bath bombs.  

-Partner yoga workshop.  I felt so relaxed after it!  It's great that Jesse likes yoga as much as I do and that we are able to connect in that way.  I also picked up Kimberly Wilson's new yoga CD, Tranquility to Go.  Can't wait to try it out!

-Lots of episodes of "The Office".  I swear we could sit and watch it all day long and not get tired of it.

I'm such a lucky girl.  

{Photo credit: Linds:-)}

Words to Grow By.

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places."

~Ernest Hemingway

{Photo credit: vial3tt3r}

The Joy Diet: Play

Sometimes things happen that just can't be coincidence.  This week, several of those happened.  One was reading this chapter in the exact moment that I needed it.

In the chapter on play, Beck first asks us to consider what your real career is.  She says that once you know this, you can keep adding more and more play in your life.  Considering I've spent the past three weeks or so utterly freaking out about finding a career/passion/calling and putting it into practice, this was much needed.    Beck talks about September 11th and asks what you did that night--or any other major crisis during which there was clearly a before and an after for you.  For me, that's been reading and writing, as well as doing yoga.  

She asks: When life is over, how do you want the world to be different-in large ways or small-because you have lived?  What experiences must you have to feel you've lived a completely satisfying life?

To be honest, I haven't gotten through much of the rest of the chapter because I've been writing, writing, writing on just those two questions alone.  They are so simple and yet they seem to have opened the flood gates for me.  I can't wait to see where they will take me.

To read more about the Next Chapter Book Club, go here.

{Photo credit: gaspi*yourguide}

Margaret Atwood and The Year of the Flood Project

Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending a night with Margaret Atwood that was held at the George Washington University's Lisner auditorium.  

The event was part of the The Year of the Flood Project to coincide with the release of her latest book.  The program included readings and acting, as well as some of the writing set to music.  Each event uses local talent.  They are given the readings and the music and told to interpret it in any way that they choose.  At the end, Atwood answered audience questions and signed copies of her books.  She said she isn't sure what type of material she will write next, discussed the importance of being aware of what we are doing to the environment and made a lot of jokes about being from Canada.  You can read Atwood's review of the event that she posted on her blog here.

The event itself was really interesting.  The actors and musicians (students and professors from GW) did a wonderful job with interpreting the pieces.  Atwood herself is a small, snarky, funny, inspiring and interesting woman.  I have waited over ten years to get the chance to hear her read and meet her.  

Atwood was on my short list of people I need to meet before I die.  (Now that I've knocked off Adam Duritz from the Counting Crows, Elie Wiesel and Atwood, I just need to track down Salman Rushdie.)  I left the event feeling inspired, thankful and really wanting to get back in touch with the English major/writing/editing side of myself that I have let go in recent years.  

Happy November!

I can't believe it is already November!  October seemed to have flown by.  This month is incredibly busy for me.  It will include:  Writing four papers, putting together and giving a presentation, a Spanish language proficiency exam for my master's degree, my yearly performance evaluation at work, attending a few events and spending Thanksgiving in Maine with Jesse and his family.

My goals for this month include:

-Find time for me.  I want to get back to a regular yoga and gym routine, read at least a few things for fun, continue journaling and get enough sleep.

-Finish as much of the list above as possible before I leave for Maine.  I want to spend my time with Jesse and his family in as stress-free a manner as possible.

-Get as much accomplished at work as possible.

-Begin thinking about how I want to spend my winter break (no work or school from December 11 through January 4th!).

{Photo credit: lordog}

The Joy Diet: Risk and Treats

I will be very honest and say that the week of risk did not go so well.  There were a lot of things going on in my life and, as someone who is already fairly risk-averse, I just could not add that on top of it.  I did, however, begin to map out some plans for risk-taking in the near future.

Last week, the week of treats, was much more fun.  The mere act of listing my treats brought a smile to my face during a very difficult seven days.  Here is my list:

-I love the taste of: mint, mashed potatoes, chocolate, pineapple and hot chai tea.

-I love the sight of: my boyfriend, the view of the Washington, DC skyline at night, this Marc Chagall painting, babies and the ocean.

-I love the feel of: great hugs, my baby blanket, fleece, bubble baths and love.

-I love the smell of: puppies, warm vanilla, campfires, matzo ball soup and clean air.

-I love the sound of: the Counting Crows, Deva Premal's Om Namo Bhagavate, laughter, gentle rain and silence.

Read more about The Joy Diet and the Next Chapter Book Club.

{Photo credit: cybriks}

Food for Thought

I am loving this post by Kelly Rae Roberts on naming what you really want.

I am also loving this post by Kaileen Elise on defining success.

I am feeling like I need an entire day parked in an oversized chair with an oversized mug of tea and my journal. Right now there are so many thoughts to work through and so little time.

I am also behind on my post on risk for The Joy Diet book club. I'll get there, I promise!


{Photo credit: alicepopkorn}

Happiness.

A few things making me happy right this moment:

1. The Phillies are going to the World Series! Yay!!! They were totally awful at playing baseball during my entire childhood so it is great to see them do so well.

2. This post from wishstudio by Jen Lee on having many passions. I've been agonizing over how to fit so many interests into one lifetime and debating which ones would need to be sacrificed. It was such a relief to hear someone say that I don't have to sacrifice anything.

3. The fact that I have a ticket to the Margaret Atwood reading at Lisner Auditorium next Friday. I love, love, love her and have been waiting for years to see her in person. I also have a ticket to hear Al Gore speak at the same location in a few weeks.

The Joy Diet: Creativity

I admit that when I saw that this week's menu item from The Joy Diet was creativity, I had thoughts of coloring, stickers, glue and modge podge.  I was a little disappointed when I saw what Martha Beck really had in mind.

I tried to think of at least ten innovative solutions to problems I had or decisions I had to make.  And then ten more after that.  The problem for indecisive people like myself is that the more options you think of, the harder it is to pick one.

Then I moved on to "perservate on your enemy", or, in human speak, thinking of things you dislike about your enemy and seeing if it might be a quality you either need or already have.  I have very few enemies but I sincerely hope I do not have the qualities of the people I dislike.  This exercise did not sit well with me, which I realize was precisely the point, but I kept moving along to the others.

Another interesting exercise was to "unify false dichotomies", or to think of things you believe you can't possibly do or be at the same time and see if there is a way to bring them together.  This was one of those things where I know it is useful but I think the results need more than a week to manifest.                

The odd thing is that the easiest one--to do one thing differently--was the one I did not attempt this week.  

My favorite part of this week?  When Beck said, "Uncomfortable truth #1: You are always responsible for creating your life, whether you like it or not."

I think this week taught me to be easy on myself and to let some of Beck's ideas simmer.  I can't expect answers in seven days.

{Photo credit: laffy4k}