Add Some Joy to Your Diet

Little kids don't seem to have a problem finding joy.

By this time of the year people are looking at their New Year's Resolutions and wondering what happened? So many people I know resolve to go on a food diet. But how about a Joy Diet?

This idea comes from Elisabeth Constantine's book The Light Diet. Instead of depriving yourself as with most diets-- with this diet you add something. Joy. Think of all the things you could add to your life to bring more joy into it. Small things like time to yourself to do whatever you wanted. Buy yourself some flowers. Get a manicure or pedicure. Go see a movie. Spend time with your favorite people. You could really amp up the joy in your life by achieving one of your big goals: building the house of your dreams or taking an exotic vacation.

Studies have shown that the more joy you have in your life , the healthier you will be. (This probably pertains to spreading joy around too.) I think as women we tend to get so caught up in being caregivers that we often forget to take care of ourselves. We really do deserve some pampering, some joy! You owe it to yourself to find time this week to add more joy to your diet--it could/should become a wonderful habit.

I also think Martha Beck's "The Joy Diet" has some good ideas for us. The Joy Diet is composed of 10 steps that, once learned, are to be practiced on a daily basis to achieve greater fulfillment and a happier life. They seem like very easy things to do to add some joy to your everyday life...such as "Do nothing for fifteen minutes a day." (Although this might be hard for many of us.)

Gathered From The Garden has some great products to help pamper yourself or to give to others to help spread some joy. Check out our website: http://www.gatheredfromthegardenllc.4t.com/