A Journey Into Joy
Step 5 — Week 1: The First Step
Step 5 encourages us to “cross the threshold”, in order to take our first step towards answering “then call” (step 2). With this step, it’s time to “bite the bullet” as it were, take a deep breath in, and on the exhale take that all important first step. Once the momentum has started, taking the next step is a bit easier.
For me I plan to continue with the areas covered in the weeks of Step 1 (health, home, The Mandala Lady, and my purpose).
To join in on the journey, visit the MandalaoftheMonth.com to download the mandala and learn more about this step.
Here’s my journal entry for step 5–week 1: Health
Now it’s time for me to make the commitment towards improving my overall health. Next week I meet with Dr. B. to go over the results of my GI Map test and devise a plan to follow.
In reviewing the strategies I listed last month, to do all of them feels overwhelming. Actually, if I’m being honest, only the “track my food” feels like a drudgery…which is weird because when it comes to weight loss, that’s the one thing that seems to help.
Starting today, I commit to doing the following:
- continue working with Dr. B
- track my food/weight (starting today)
- take the EFT “Think and Thin” online class that I bought
- walk 1.5-2 miles at least 4-5 days a week
- do Pahla B or Eccentrics at least 3-5 days a week
My next appointment with Dr. B is on Wednesday.
165.8 is my starting weight today. I just spent that last 1.5 hours setting up some of my usual recipes in MyFitnessPal, which makes it a lot easier to track my food.
I bought the EFT class at the end of October. Start on it and then stopped. It took me 30 minutes to figure out how to log back in and find it. Once in, I downloaded everything I needed to start this 6-week program…I may take it slower and spread it out over 12 weeks.
That’s it for now,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
inspiring and encouraging creativity, curiosity, and play through the art of mandalas
ABOUT “A JOURNEY INTO JOY”
With all the anxiety and stress in the world right now, focusing on joy may seem a bit counterintuitive. Mais contraire mes amis. We actually need more joy in our lives…now more than ever. And it starts within each of us. It’s been my experience that when in that higher vibrational state of joy, it helps raise the vibration of those around us as well.
Brené Brown defines joy as “an intense feeling of deep spiritual connection, pleasure, and appreciation”. Of late, I mostly experience only moments of happiness and on a rare occasion, joy…thus my desire to journey into joy.
My quest throughout this year is to explore, experience, and express this state in a variety of ways, including following a variation of the hero’s journey, as professed by Jospeh Campbell.
Care to join me? Here’s how…
MandalaoftheMonth.com: On the first of the month, I’ll create and post a mandala for coloring. Each month we’ll take another step along the “journey into joy” by following a modified version Joseph Campbell’s a hero’s journey. Included in each step will be a description of the step and prompts for coloring and/or journaling for the month. You’re welcome to color them as well…they’re free to download.
MandalaoftheWeek.com: Each Monday I’ll be posting my coloring of that month’s Mandala of the Month, which will produce 4-5 colorings of that design. With each one, I intend to dig deeper into the message of that month’s mandala. You’re welcome to color along as well.
Mandala of the Week 