Category: Things I Love
Things I Love: Glucose Goddess
Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist and New York Times bestselling author of Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Goddess Method. She is on a mission to translate cutting-edge science into easy tips to help people improve their physical and mental health. Her work centers around the startling discovery about the essential role of blood sugar in every aspect of our lives, and the surprising hacks to optimize it. Jessie is the founder of the wildly popular Instagram account @GlucoseGoddess, where she teaches over two million people about transformative food habits. She holds a BSc in mathematics from King’s College, London, and an MSc in biochemistry from Georgetown University.
Joy Journal: Holiday Celebrations
Joy Journal #31: December 16 & 17, 2023
This past weekend, my daughter and I visited Bilston Creek Farm for their annual holiday craft fair. The large barn was bathed in warm light and exuded the scent of cinnamon. Local artisans proudly showcased their handcrafted wares on open tables. Carols filled the space, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
Outside, the cool air bit at our cheeks, and the comforting aroma of burning wood drifted up from the outdoor fire pits that dotted the property. We sipped hot chocolate, and chatted with strangers who warmed their hands, surrounded by the quiet beauty of resting lavender fields. The grey skies were overcast and expansive. Cassin finches perched on the barren apple tree branches nearby, patiently watching and waiting.
Later that afternoon, I sat at my dining room table and I decorated my first gingerbread house. When I was little, I always dreamed of doing it, but I never had the opportunity. And once I became a parent, I gave my daughter the experience, as I wanted her to have happy, festive memories. It finally dawned on me this year that I can give this experience to myself and so I did. What a joy. It was so fun and playful and nourishing to build my own creation. #JoyBlogging
Wise Words
Last spring, I went with my sister to see Liz Gilbert speak at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. I have been a fan of her work for a long time but I am equally as interested in her as a person. She explores the human condition in such a real, raw and authentic way. I appreciate her commitment to self-compassion, curiosity and vulnerability; and I was excited to hear her speak on this tour, not about a particular book, but rather about her reflections on how to live a good life.
It was a brilliant presentation and I took notes throughout. I thought you might be interested in reading through some of the wisdom shared.
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“What are you willing to give up to have the thing (life) you keep pretending you want? All of your time is being spent doing things other than what you pretend you want most (e.g. watching tv, going out with friends instead of writing). You aren’t prioritizing the thing you keep telling me is the most important in your life. Stop playing around or stop wasting my time. Focus. Do the work.”
~ Advice shared from the female artist in Liz Gilbert’s Lower Eastside neighbourhood. She was her unofficial mentor. This woman lived the life that Liz envied. This was a transformational moment for Liz when she realized she had to stop talking and start doing the work.
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“It’s all going to be all right.” ~ advice from Liz’s friend Richard from Texas
The most relaxed person in the world is the most powerful. They can see everything. They are present with the vast expansiveness of the situation. They see details and options that others cannot see. When you are anxious, you have tunnel vision. I do not want my last breaths on this beautiful earth to be stressful.
To be relaxed, you have to choose. You need to start by saying no to a lot of stuff that you really want to do. You only have one life. Don’t waste it.
To live a relaxed life, women need three things:
- Priorities
- Boundaries
- Mysticism
Priorities:
Three most important words: I don’t care.
What do you care about? Who do you care about? It cannot be very much. There are a few things that I care about intensely. These are defined as my priorities.
Boundaries:
The great mythologist, Joseph Campbell, spent his entire life studying the religions of the world. He was asked, “What is the definition of sacred?” and “How do human beings make something sacred?” He responded, “It’s the simplest thing in the entire world, and you do not need a priest for it, anybody can do it. Here’s how humans make something sacred: You draw a circle around it and you say everything inside this circle is holy. It’s sacred because you said so. That is called a boundary, and a boundary is not a wall. A boundary is not something that you hide behind. A boundary is a golden circle that you draw around the things that matter to you, and you say everything inside this circle is sacred. If you treat it with respect, you are allowed to come in, but take your shoes off and bow because you are coming into the center of holiness here. And if it’s not, and it’s outside, then what do we say? We say, “I do not care.”
“Your sacred place is where you can find yourself again and again.” ~ Joseph Campbell
“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Women are taught to be servants to the world. To ignore their own needs. In order for women to step into the divine, they have to cultivate a sense of self. A man needs to do the opposite. They need to let go of self.
“I have no difficult people in my life. The world is a difficult place. I chose who I let into my life. I can think of no one who is entitled to be in it.” ~ Rachel Cargle
Mysticism:
Mysticism is defined as interactions between humans and the divine. Martha Beck interviewed a wide range of successful women. They all shared a common experience. “I heard a voice.” “I have a spirit guide.” “My ancestors spoke to me.” They established connection to a deeper level. They tapped into the base notes of divinity. An internal guidance system told them to: Trust this person. Take action now.
Thin places in the universe are created through experiencing deep suffering.
“There is a crack in everything. That’s where the light gets in.” ~ Leonard Cohen
Relax completely in the embrace of someone who is deeply fond of you: have faith in the vast and endless love of the divine.
“When we have got something for you to do, you will be notified.” Wait for the signal.
When you are actually needed, which is not very often, you will recognize it.
“I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.” ~ TS Eliot
“Wow, wow, wow.” ~ Steve Jobs’ last words.
Rayya Elias ~ After fighting with death until the bitter end, Rayya has a look of wonder and joy on her face when she passed over.
Religion is for people who are afraid to go to hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been there.
My objective in the second half of my life is to move through the world in a relaxed state.
No abandonment of self. No saying yes when I mean no.
I am at the centre of the sacredness. I am my own guardian. I do not use anything that alters my mood or state of being.
Tools: Insight Timer. Taylor Somerville’s breath meditations.
Read something that feels sacred. Poets and poetry. Liz believes when poets die they leave the door to the sacred open. Reading their work provides access.
Two way prayer. Talking with love. It is a form of downloading information and listening to what love is saying to you.
Ask the divine one question in a journal a day: “Dear Love, what would you have me know today?” Use the sweetest terms in response – my beloved…my sweet…
“What is the best thing I should be putting my energy into?” Sometimes she asks herself several times a day.
“You will be notified when we have something for you to do.”
Take care of the animal body until the divine provides instructions. Pretend you are taking care of an animal that you adopted from a shelter, with utmost love and tenderness (e.g. drink water, take a bath, walk, meditate).
All problems are solved by walking.
Travel with a teddy bear. Care for the small and young part of the self with love and kindness.
Letters to Love
I really admire the writer Elizabeth Gilbert. She is messy and honest and fierce and funny. She is wildly talented, relentlessly curious, and deeply devoted to a life of service. She recently started a new community project called Letters from Love, which I am taking part in. I encourage you to check it out. She shares more about the project here:
Here is my own first letter to love…
Dear Love, what would you have me know today?
Sweetest little girl. There is nothing that you need to do or say to earn love or deserve love. You are love. No one can give it to you or take it away.
My little hummingbird – I can feel your heart beating wildly with anxiety. I sense that you do not believe me but it is so. The stories that you told yourself as a child are not true.
“If I do what they say, they will love me.”
“If I agree with them, they will love me.”
“If I care for them, they will love me.”
“If I give enough, they will love me.”
“If I am good, they will love me.”
I wrap her in my arms and I hold her close. I caress her soft curls. I breathe in her sweet scent. I whisper in her perfect little ear a message for her future self, “Give love in the way that feels authentic to you. It does not need to conform to a standard. There is no gold star to earn. Love does not have a right or wrong expression. It is love. They can choose to receive what you are offering, or not, but you know what it truly is: a pure and beautiful offering from your heart. No one can take the truth away from you.”
Setting boundaries is love. Saying no is love. Holding on to yourself is love. You are teaching respect and showing love through your words and actions. They may never understand but that is ok. You know. You know the truth and that is what matters. I know that this work is really really hard and I am so very proud of you. Keep going. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. The only way out is through.
Watch List: A Small Light
“But even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can, within their own small ways, turn on a small light in a dark room.” ~ Miep Gies
Based on a true story, A Small Light follows Miep Gies, a young, carefree secretary who hid Otto Frank and his family from the Nazis in WWII. For nearly to years, Miep and her husband Jan protected the Franks and others while she held down a day job, kept her marriage intact and shouldered more responsibility than anyone could imagine. While millions are familiar with Anne Frank’s diary and her family’s life in the Secret Annex, A Small Light is the lesser-known story of how an ordinary secretary showed extraordinary courage during one of the darkest moments in history.
Something to Inspire
Ajahn Chah says, “Whatever the mind tells you, do not fall for it. It is only a deception. Whatever negative comments and views it offers, just say “That is not my business,” every time, and let it go. More specifically, the Dalai Lama suggests, “With worry and anxiety, repeatedly cultivate the following thought. ‘If the problem can be remedied then there is no need to worry about it. And if there is no solution, there is no point in being worried because nothing can be done about it anyway.’ Remind yourself of these things repeatedly.”
Joy Journal
Joy Journal #30: August 5, 2023
We just returned from a camping trip with friends on Cortes Island. It is located in the Discovery Islands archipelago on the coast of British Columbia. I discovered this beautiful place nine years ago and I have been called back to it ever since. It holds a very special energy and I feel nourished every time I have the privilege to spend time there.
This year was particularly fun as we stayed with friends in the Smelt Bay campground. I am not generally a big camper, but our friends are seasoned campers, and it was great to join them for a few days. We shared many simple, delicious meals around the camp stove. Played card games with the kids around the picnic table. Watched the sun set in warm colours over Desolation Sound. Floated in the ocean multiple times a day. Explored the lake with a paddle board. We enjoyed ice cream, chips and s’mores and fell asleep to the sound of hooting owls and chirping chipmunks. It was a wonderful adventure and we cannot wait to do it again next summer. #JoyBlogging
Things I Love: Lift with Cee
I am always on the lookout for good home workouts. I recently discovered “Lift with Cee.” I love her half hour format of progressive strength training; and now, along with “Heather Robertson“, she is one of my favourite trainers. For women over forty, strength training is particularly important. Aside from losing fat, and building muscle, here are a few key reasons to integrate it into your weekly routine.
Improve bone density. Strength training will improve the density of your bones, which helps fight osteoporosis.
Strengthen your joints. Our joints are a mix of bone, tendons, and ligaments. When you lift, you strengthen your bones, tendons, and ligaments, and lubricate your joints. All of this will help you keep your joints in a healthy condition.
Reduce your risk of injury. When you strengthen your muscles and connective tissues (ligaments and tendons), and increase your bone density, your risk for injuries decreases significantly.
Minimize the risk of arthritis. Arthritis is the swelling of your joints that make it difficult to move them. When you lift weights, it benefits your joints, and acts as a preventive measure.
Increase your energy level. The more you work on your muscles, the more efficiently they will work for you. You will notice more energy to get through your day and you will sleep better at night.
Improve your mood. Lifting weights has been noted to help minimize anxiety and stress, which results in a better mood for you.
Let me know if you try the workouts!
Something to Inspire
As a highly sensitive person, I often feel overwhelmed by the dark forces in this world. This is why I love this advice from RuPaul. Acknowledge the darkness but do not fall into its deep abyss. Focus your energy on making beauty and generating joy. Act as a beacon of hope in this dark world. We each have an important role to play, however small.
Breath by Breath 