Christina Brandt

My “Joy Dieters” book group is busy working on Chapter Two of The Joy Diet, by Martha Beck..  This week’s topic is TRUTH. If you’re like most people (me included), you believe that you’re basically an honest person.  Sure, there’s the occasional white lie to be polite, or maybe you’ll pay a compliment you don’t necessarily mean.

When you dig deeper, however, you’re likely to find that you’re often telling yourself some pretty big whoppers. Do any of these ring a bell?  “I’m not thin enough.”  “I don’t make enough money.”  “I’ll never find a job I love.”  “My husband should be neater.”  “She ought to stop criticizing me.”

Lies, every last one. How do I know?  Because they’re arguments about what should or shouldn’t be the case, rather than an acknowledgment of what is.  When we tell ourselves a story about our circumstances that isn’t true, we feel like crap.  If we lie often enough, we shut down our capacity to fully experience joy and harmony. Here’s how Martha suggests we begin to examine truth on a daily basis:

• Sit quietly for 15 minutes and do nothing.
• Ask yourself:  What am I feeling?
• Ask yourself:  What hurts?
• Ask yourself:  What is the painful story I’m telling?
• Ask yourself:  Can I be sure my painful story is true?
• Ask yourself:  Is my painful story working?
• Ask yourself:  Can I think of another story that might work better?
• Treat yourself with compassion

Learning to uncover the stories you tell yourself about your circumstances is the best way to find freedom and joy. On a MUCH lighter note, here’s what she had to say to the “joy dieters”:

Gotta love Martha; she’s a hoot!