Radiant Conversations2011 Euro Chat
Monday, January 9, 2012
Selena:
Hello all!
gretel:
HI
Angela:
hello!
Jenny:
Hello!
Selena:
How is everyone today?
gretel:
Sleepy but good
jo p:
tired but fine thanks, how are you?
Angela:
good
Jenny:
good thanks
Selena:
Yup, I'm good thanks!
Selena:
Did everyone read the newsletter this week?
jo p:
yes
Angela:
yes
Jenny:
yes
Fiona:
Yes
mosaic:
I have only scanned it today
Selena:
I always look forward to Monday mornings!!
mosaic:
I always look forward to the newsletter, it's like I am about 7 and I'm getting some post!
Selena:
lol mosaic - me too!
mosaic:
like so many things about the community, there is always something *personal* about it
Selena:
I love that Radiant Recovery is a journey
Selena:
some people take the scenic route
Selena:
and it seems to click into place for others!
Jenny:
and some of us get stuck in a traffic jam for three years :)
Selena:
lol
mosaic:
then step 7 is not about arriving but an adventure - fun
mosaic:
 :) Jenny
Selena:
but look at you now, Jenny - you're blossoming :)
Jenny:
yes, I feel great now :)
Selena:
wahooooo!
Selena:
shall we talk about 'what to expect down the road' from the newsletter?
mosaic:
ah but Jenny look where that took the rest of us, you came out of the traffic jam with a fanfare
Angela:
and that quote... everything is in service of our learning, so no matter our path it will still deepen our program
Jenny:
lol mosaic
Jenny:
yes please, Selena
Angela:
sounds good Selena
jo p:
yes please
Selena:
ok, so does anyone remember 'chaos'??
Jenny:
oh yes
Fiona:
Oh yes
Angela:
yep!
Selena:
lol
gretel:
LOL oh yes
Selena:
what was it like for you?
Jenny:
constant angst, misery, depression, feeling helpless and hopeless, convinced that being thin would fix it all
Angela:
a roller coaster, daily emotional highs and crashes, exhausting
Angela:
trying and failing, over and over again
jo p:
I felt utterly defeated and desperate and full of doubt, but I had nothing to loose. Out of control.
Jenny:
yes, definitely a roller coaster
mosaic:
scribbly. getting tied up to a worry, anxiety or an obsession( the obsession usually being diet) All unexpressed so no one knew
Fiona:
Feeling TATT - tired all the time
Selena:
oh crikey, I remember it well!
gretel:
depression mostly
Jenny:
that feeling of wading through treacle, everything was just sooo hard
Angela:
yes Fiona, just dragging myself around, and feeling guilty, like I was always hiding how awful and angry and desperate I felt
mosaic:
less fun, more struggle
Selena:
then what happened when you found out about PnP or Radiant Recovery?
Fiona:
Relief!
mosaic:
I found out about YLD because I had diet on the brain .. and felt stunned at being understood
Jenny:
I read the book, thought 'wow, this is the answer', tried journalling for about a day, then put the book back on the shelf for 7 years
Angela:
I felt hope!
Selena:
sounds so familiar Jenny lol
jo p:
I was wary, was this yet another empty promise. I just wanted to lose weight
jo p:
but I thought I'd give it a go
Selena:
yes, Jo - I wanted it to be true but didn't know if it would work for me or not
Jenny:
then I spent those seven years looking for a magic quick fix that would do the same thing but without all the work :)
mosaic:
Answers - for me and to explain all my family history that was puzzling me
Angela:
:) Jenny
gretel:
yes, me too Mosaic
mosaic:
it was a dilemma - Answers on the one hand, and I also didn't believe any of it would work :) unique as the rest of you
jo p:
lol Mosaic
gretel:
LOL
Jenny:
yes, me too, mosaic lol
Selena:
I think there are a lot of us terminally unique people lol
jo p:
I was fortunate that within a few months I attended a Radiant Brits lunch and then Euroranch
jo p:
Connecting with you all made all the difference
gretel:
well, I thought it would work probably because of the time I'd been in AA and I sort of understood that it was the biochemistry that had to be addressed
jo p:
and meeting Kathleen
mosaic:
that's fascinating gretel
gretel:
and yes connection with others was really important
Selena:
it really helps, doesn't it?
Jenny:
it's vital for me
Angela:
it was so important for me
Selena:
so then we first started having breakfast...
mosaic:
I felt the connection on the forum suited me, and being heard there was powerful.. I sometimes think with 'just the book' I would have struggled. so I feel so grateful for everyone
gretel:
breakfast made me feel better and that was a HUGE revelation
mosaic:
breakfast didn't make me feel better so I sulked a bit :)
Selena:
lol
gretel:
oh no :(
jo p:
breakfast was doable and I quickly found a breakfast that suited me
Jenny:
I had a one week honeymoon period where I felt really good after starting breakfast, and then I went back to feeling bad - I was kind of disappointed
Jenny:
but not deterred :)
mosaic:
but ahem that was prob because I also did 123456. Second go was better - but step 3 really turned me round
gretel:
LOL
Selena:
and when breakfast became a habit we began to think about journalling...
Jenny:
yes, I just moved into journaling smoothly, when I realized I was mentally noting down how I felt after i ate
Angela:
yes, that's how I felt too Jenny
Selena:
oh my - was I the only one to refuse to even look at what my body was telling me then? lol
Angela:
I doubt that Selena lol
Jenny:
lol
mosaic:
I was expert at ignoring my bod and could write the same thing over and over
jo p:
journalling has always been functional, I do it cos I need to, even stickers only marginally helped
gretel:
Journaling was Step 1 when I started, so I had been doing it
mosaic:
writing was easy, easy, I had to learn to listen and that really didn't happen till later on .. maybe even in 6 and 7
gretel:
me too mosaic
Jenny:
yes, it's like that for me too, mosaic
gretel:
I could write what I ate, but to relate the feelings to it came later, except that I knew I felt 'better' after breakfast
Selena:
as I got to step 3 I felt heaps better
Selena:
it was the turning point for me
Jenny:
and me :)
Angela:
I really noticed feeling better on step 3 also
Selena:
I think I actually trusted that it might work for me
mosaic:
step 3 my most difficult, challenging and AAArgh and it taught me the most
gretel:
me too, but it as because I felt worse at Step 3, LOL, trying to keep sugar there and not snack
Jenny:
lol me too!
jo p:
I got off the roller coaster on step 3, horray!
Selena:
no more roller coaster, exactly!
mosaic:
I grumbled and whinged and wriggled for a bit ;0
Selena:
lol
mosaic:
but it was worth all that
Jenny:
I whinged for three years lol , but definitely worth it
mosaic:
:)
Selena:
and with the vits, spud and browns came a stability that I'd only ever dreamed of...
Selena:
what?
gretel:
yes, and I did 4, 5 and 6 pretty quickly because I felt so awful at Step 3, figured I couldn't feel any worse detoxed, LOL
Selena:
I wasn't eating between meals?
mosaic:
I was convinced I knew everything about browns but I've learnt more since I got the how to take notice of myself bit
gretel:
yes, me too
Jenny:
I did 3 and 5 together, but I'm still learning what the best browns for me are
Angela:
very true Mosaic
Selena:
well, what I love is that the entire program is a process
mosaic:
Selena, I was the other way round, I had white knuckled my way though 'lasting through' for so many years that I learnt how to do the planned snack when appropriate - revelation!
Selena:
:)
gretel:
yes, and even though I did the steps quickly, learning to identify what works best for me in terms of content and timing has been a process
Selena:
and then detox beckoned...
gretel:
including putting back in planned snacks
Jenny:
in my case detox sneaked up on me when I wasn't looking :)
jo p:
ooh, that is sneaky Jenny lol
mosaic:
how funny Jenny, did you ever expect that??
Jenny:
never in a million years!
Selena:
same here Jenny!
mosaic:
LOL
Selena:
:)
Angela:
:)
jo p:
I was ready to detox and planned it carefully and it was fine
Fiona:
Me too, Jenny
Selena:
I pouted because I wanted to have an ice cream with my kids over the summer but my body had other ideas
gretel:
LOL
Angela:
lol
Jenny:
lol
mosaic:
:)
mosaic:
I gave up caffeinated coffee which was unimaginable... and I planned it carefully for the first time in my life instead of the all or nothing approach
jo p:
funny, coffee gave me up!
Jenny:
I stopped eating cheese - I couldn't have imagined that would happen
Selena:
lol Jo
jo p:
yes Jenny that was amazing, you were the queen of cheese
Angela:
me too Jenny, unimaginable!
Jenny:
oh, I was totally addicted, more so than to sugar
mosaic:
do you choose cheese alternatives Jenny?
mosaic:
like in that book? I miss cheese a bit
gretel:
I rarely eat cheese now
Jenny:
I have tried making some vegan cheese alternatives, but I'm not that bothered - they're just not the same
gretel:
having said that I am making spaghetti pie tonight and it has cottage cheese, but otherwise I just don't
mosaic:
ah, yes, understand, that's how I feel about bread :)
Selena:
and I've just realized that the newsletter is talking about weight loss lol
gretel:
LOL
gretel:
but we are just having 'conversation' :)
Selena:
:)
gretel:
about the progression through the program
Selena:
what's life like now after step 6?
gretel:
I can't imagine ever going back to the chaos I was in before I started
Angela:
no thank you :)
gretel:
I have such clarity and peacefulness today
Fiona:
Have to be steady before weight loss
Jenny:
the way I feel has changed dramatically since Christmas, I can't quite describe it yet - I think I might be out of the 'flat' now and into the calm
mosaic:
is getting rid of the anxiety and worry and so there's all this space left for happy instead
gretel:
oh Jenny that's wonderful
Jenny:
my mind is fizzing with energy - now I just need to get fitter so my body can keep up :)
gretel:
:)
Selena:
yay!!
Jenny:
it's the most joyful thing
gretel:
yah!
Selena:
life just seems to open up
mosaic:
how wonderful
Jenny:
I never want to go back to the dark place, which is so motivating
gretel:
yes!!!!
gretel:
and you don't have to go back
Jenny:
I know - isn't it wonderful?
gretel:
:D
jo p:
It sure is
gretel:
I have a big smile on my face, I'm so happy for you
Jenny:
I never imagined it would be this good
Selena:
did you ever believe you would be where you are today, Jenny?
Selena:
:D
gretel:
it's very hard to explain to someone how good it can get
Jenny:
no, not at all - I thought if i was lucky i might be a bit less depressed
jo p:
and for me it just keeps getting better and better
gretel:
me too Jo
Selena:
yes, and me
Jenny:
that's what's so exciting - if i feel this good now, imagine what's ahead of me!
Selena:
do the food - change your life!
gretel:
:)
gretel:
It sure did change yours, Selena!
Selena:
well, I don't think i'm the only one ;)
gretel:
and mine
gretel:
Rooftop
Selena:
I just wanted to stop bingeing
gretel:
I just wanted to stop having sugar hangovers
jo p:
got more than you bargained for :)
mosaic:
I thought I was just looking for a diet
Jenny:
I just wanted to be able to get out of bed in the mornings
Selena:
whew!
Selena:
you guys are amazing!
mosaic:
I had no idea all the rest of it was connected
gretel:
no I didn't either
mosaic:
although funnily enough I always did know food was important= and not in a weight loss way... a food/mood way
mosaic:
cos I knew it affected me so
gretel:
because I had felt better phsyicaly when I stopped drinking, I intuitively knew I'd feel even better without sugar. What I didn't expect was the emotional and mental stability that came finally with it
gretel:
by balancing my nutrition
Jenny:
I didn't expect any of this - learning so much, the community, making friends, changing things i thought were an integral part of me
jo p:
it's a real gift
Selena:
thank goodness someone special put it all together :)
gretel:
yah
Angela:
yes
Jenny:
yes
Fiona:
Yes
mosaic:
yes
mosaic:
:)
Selena:
okey dokey you lovely people - it's been great chatting with you!!
gretel:
ok I need to go make spaghetti pie :)
Jenny:
it's been fun,, thanks for leading, Selena!
gretel:
have a lovely rest of your evening all
gretel:
thanks Selena!
jo p:
thanks for leading the chat Selena
Jenny:
thanks everyone, good night!
gretel:
night all
jo p:
goodnight
Fiona:
Thanks Selena and good night
Selena:
night!
Angela:
thank you Selena and everyone, good night!
mosaic:
night

© Kathleen DesMaisons 2012 All rights reserved.

Radiant Recovery Chat Transcript Radiant Conversations2011 US Chat
Monday, January 9, 2012
carol:
Hi everyone!
gretel:
Hi carol, all
Alison G:
Hi Carol
Elaine in CO:
Hi Carol and everyone :)
Linda B:
Hello!
Verla:
Hi Carol and everyone
Cindy:
Hi Carol and everyone
Toni:
hello
Ramona:
Howdy
carol:
It is nice to see everyone
gretel:
nice to be here
Verla:
indeed :)
carol:
I am filling in tonight as Kathleen is off on her second Christmas trip
gretel:
thank you for leading!!
Elaine in CO:
Thank you for leading!
Verla:
Very cool!
Linda B:
:)
Cindy:
Thank
carol:
You are welcome!
Ramona:
Nice :-)
carol:
Did you all read the newsletter this week?
gretel:
Yes
Alison G:
yes
Elaine in CO:
yes
Linda B:
yes!
Cindy:
Yes
John:
yes
Toni:
yes
Ramona:
Not yet
Verla:
yes
Kath:
yes
carol:
I thought we could talk about it tonight
Cheryl:
yes
John:
sure
Elaine in CO:
sounds good
Cindy:
ok
Kath:
good plan
Alison G:
good idea
carol:
maybe we could go through it and share our own experiences?
Elaine in CO:
OK sure
carol:
like chaos?
carol:
anyone have that one?
John:
LOL
gretel:
Well, my life sure was in chaos before I got here
Elaine in CO:
OMG Yes
John:
ditto
gretel:
depression, sick, sugar hangovers
Kath:
I think chaos is a good description!
Alison G:
oh my goodness... I lived CHAOS
Linda B:
YES!!
Verla:
I had lots of internal chaos and tried to hide the external
Kath:
and not just can't have anyone over syndrome, real chaos
Cindy:
It was chaos for sure!! It was awful!
Kath:
and bewilderment
Elaine in CO:
I couldn't stand crowds -- I shopped in the middle of the night at 24-hour stores
carol:
:)
Alison G:
total overwhelm
Cindy:
I couldn't understand my mood swings
Verla:
me too Cindy
carol:
oh yes, mood swings that made no sense
gretel:
I was looking for a cleansing diet when I found RR because I felt so awful inside
Toni:
unpredictability of how I would be
Elaine in CO:
yes, mood swings, within the course of a few minutes
gretel:
a sense of impending doom
John:
I was deeply depressed. even on meds
Cindy:
drama on the inside if not on the outside
Kath:
and no understanding of why
carol:
yes, I understand
Ramona:
chronic pain, chronic fatigue
Kath:
or what if anything, I could do to relieve the awfulness of it all
carol:
I found it amazing and still do how much I had in common with all the people here
Toni:
I call it the old roller coaster ride, up and down and all around and never knew how long it would last
carol:
and with what Kathleen wrote in her book
carol:
I thought I was the only one!
Kath:
just reading the book made something seem different
gretel:
when I read PNP I got a sense of what was causing it and that there might be a solution
Alison G:
Ya! me too
Elaine in CO:
yes, I would skip meals -- eat right away or not eat until lunchtime
Verla:
I used to say life is a roller coaster ride and I'm hanging onto the last car
carol:
right
carol:
LOL Verla!
gretel:
LOL
John:
LOL Verla
Alison G:
lol Verla
Cindy:
:)
Elaine in CO:
lol
John:
nice imagery
Ramona:
lol
Verla:
the best I ever hoped for was a day inside the car
gretel:
LOL
Ramona:
with my toenails, usually
HeatherT:
Hi everyone! Sorry I'm late.
Elaine in CO:
;)
Kath:
"stop the world, I want to get off" is something I used to feel even more often than I said it, which was often!
carol:
isn't it great we can laugh about it now
Kath:
sure is
Verla:
that's something to look back on -- how different my life is now
Cindy:
yes
Kath:
at the time though, I could see no other way and no way to attain what 'normal' people had
carol:
right
HeatherT:
I can relate to that completely Kath...stop the world!!!
gretel:
no there didn't seem to be a solution, and I kept looking for things to make me feel better
Elaine in CO:
Well, I assumed that everyone was in the same chaos that I was
Alison G:
me too Elaine
Cheryl:
I felt it was a moral, spiritual failing on my part
HeatherT:
right Elaine
Verla:
oh that's interesting Elaine, I didn't think ANYbody else was
Cindy:
I thought I was broken
carol:
I am with you Verla
gretel:
I don't even think I realized I was in chaos, I just felt awful inside
Verla:
I thought everybody had it together except me
Alison G:
I thought it was *normal*
gretel:
well yah that!
HeatherT:
I felt broken also Cindy
carol:
so we found the program and began breakfast
HeatherT:
and it changed everything
gretel:
and that was a miracle for me
Elaine in CO:
Oh! it was so scary to eat breakfast at first
gretel:
just eating breakfast made me feel better
John:
started to get out of bed before noon
HeatherT:
me too gretel!
carol:
I remember being relieved that I could eat
Cindy:
It was life changing almost immediately for me
gretel:
I always woke up so negative, but once I ate, that dissipated
Elaine in CO:
yes, Gretel, I felt better right away too
carol:
and that it could be anything I wanted as long as it had some protein and some brown
Kath:
it felt like a party, a special event for me to have protein at breakfast
Alison G:
I ate cheeseburgers and chili for breakfast!
Ramona:
I thought I couldn't eat in the mornings
gretel:
I began to LOVE getting up to have shake
Verla:
yes, it was so good to not feel guilty about having a real breakfast
HeatherT:
exactly Verla!!!
Kath:
I got to have a party every morning!
Cindy:
I loved the routine of it
carol:
LOL
Alison G:
lol Kath
HeatherT:
I had been programmed that eating a decent meal was terrible
carol:
I love that
Verla:
yeah Kath!
carol:
yes Heather, me too
Verla:
yes Heather
John:
I liked learning to cook, even just eggs
Elaine in CO:
Yes, I loved the routine during the week -- the weekends took time
HeatherT:
that's great John
gretel:
so kewl John
carol:
I love thinking of breakfast as a party every morning!
HeatherT:
Me too Elaine, weekends were harder
Verla:
I can remember reading your posts about that John!
Terri W:
I always prided myself on the fact that I ate breakfast--of course it was 2-5 hours after waking lol
gretel:
LOL
Kath:
LOL Terri
Alison G:
lol
carol:
LOL
gretel:
and after 10 cups of coffee
HeatherT:
LOL Terri
Verla:
L)
Terri W:
moving it to within an hour took some doing
Alison G:
gotta love the weekends!
Kath:
I did most of my 'best' creative stuff on that BE high before dawn
carol:
and isn't it great we have the time to take by using nano steps
carol:
that it doesn't have to be all or nothing right from the beginning
carol:
I love that part
HeatherT:
That's what I love the most about the program. I don't have to do it all today!
Kath:
now I have consistent ability instead of the very rare high spot
Kath:
a little bit of the process each day
HeatherT:
exactly Kath.... all the time versus hit or miss
Elaine in CO:
yeah! I had to start with just a few mouthfuls of brown, and they told me that was OK!
Ramona:
I loved that I didn't have to give up anything
Kath:
one day, one meal, one bite at a time
HeatherT:
that was good for me too Ramona. we got to add all sorts of great stuff before even thinking about taking stuff out
carol:
oh and being told what I was doing was ok
Kath:
Yay Elaine
carol:
absolute bliss
Elaine in CO:
Right Ramona, at first I just added
Kath:
knowing that anything I was doing was OK!
Verla:
:) carol
John:
people were very patient with me
HeatherT:
Not only ok Carol, but marvelous! Successful nano steps are marvelous, and we were told that
Cindy:
I liked the part about picking the easiest thing first etc.
carol:
yes
carol:
oh yes, revolutionary...I always thought I should do the hardest to get it out of the way first!
HeatherT:
Me too Cindy. Made it so much easier to actually be successful for once.
Elaine in CO:
Yes definitely Cindy
gretel:
yes, Cindy, that was eye opening
Kath:
and knowing that I could let the later steps come when they were ready, I was working on *this* step
carol:
that didn't work too well
Ramona:
When I did breakfast, I told myself "I did my food plan perfectly today" and that made me feel like a success. A rare feeling at the time.
carol:
yes Ramona, me too
gretel:
it's why I loved the shake, because it was easy
HeatherT:
that's so awesome Ramona
carol:
I loved that by one hour after getting out of bed, I could call myself successful!
Verla:
yes Gretel, it was hard to go wrong with the shake
Elaine in CO:
Yeah
Jodi:
I remember being told to love your shake and I thought ugh. Now I love my shake.
gretel:
yes Elaine
Terri W:
Ramona, I still love that about mornings.
Elaine in CO:
Then I added lunch, then dinner, and so on
carol:
yes, that began the regularity and structure
Elaine in CO:
those were harder
carol:
and we just thought we were having breakfast
Kath:
 breakfast coming every morning was a comforting rhythm
Kath:
morning
Jodi:
Yes, Kath.
Kath:
even if I can't spell LOL
HeatherT:
LOL
carol:
I love that structure gets sort of slipped in by doing the steps
Elaine in CO:
Right, Carol
gretel:
you know, I actually did breakfast on autopilot for a long time because I was doing the shake and felt so good, but I have learned the subtlety over the years about what was actually happening with my body to effect that
carol:
can you say more gretel?
HeatherT:
I have always known that I felt better when my day was structured, but this program has actually given me the understanding and the skills to do it well
gretel:
that's what's so neat, to understand how food really does affect mood, wellbeing
HeatherT:
That's something that I'm still learning gretel
Cindy:
Me too, Heather
gretel:
and how timing, content are all important
carol:
oh yes
carol:
that is where our journals are so important
gretel:
for example, what happens if I stay up late, even though breakfast is at the same time, the same thing, I don't feel as well
carol:
right, great example
Kath:
yes, my journal was what convinced me that it was *my* body story too, not just what other people were reporting
HeatherT:
That's great Kath.
Elaine in CO:
It took me a long time to read my own body, during which time I really relied on others' skill to help me make sense of things
Elaine in CO:
I did a few consults :)
gretel:
yes, me too Elaine
HeatherT:
Yes, me too, Elaine. I am getting it slowly though!
carol:
yes Elaine, me too! LOL
Kath:
yes me too Elaine about taking a long time to read my body, without the journal I don't do well at all
gretel:
somebody actually had to point out to me that staying up late might not be in my best interest, LOL
Jodi:
I am looking forward to being able to see those connections.
carol:
:)
Ramona:
lol
HeatherT:
But some of those now obvious things are hard to see when you're in the middle of it
Elaine in CO:
Gretel, if you are like me it was after that that you saw it in your journal, right?
Verla:
yes Jodi, they do come
gretel:
right Elaine
carol:
yes, the do, it takes time
gretel:
I had trouble 'reading' my journal
carol:
and it is different for each of us
gretel:
That's why I think the classes and lists are so wonderful
Kath:
I liked hearing the connections other people were seeing, it helped me to know what to look for
gretel:
We didn't have those when I started
HeatherT:
The wisdom of others helping you see what you can't see for yourself... and then teaching you how to read your body's notes
carol:
yes, Kath
Kath:
yes Heather
carol:
and some of us see the big picture in our journal rather
carol:
and others see details more clearly
gretel:
I was great at the details, but not putting them together
carol:
I think Kathleen did a chat about that not long ago
Kath:
when I started, journal was the first step, and it did not work so well without breakfast in place first LOL
carol:
yes, gretel, me too
gretel:
yah Kath, me too
HeatherT:
I bet Kath!!! There's no way I could have journaled without BF
carol:
when I started I did not join online
Kath:
it was hugely relieving to hear that others also found it difficult, and had breakfast first instead LOL
carol:
I tried to do it by myself
gretel:
hard!!!
carol:
I was afraid of the computer
carol:
LOL
John:
:) carol
HeatherT:
My first time around I did too... But alone doesn't work well.
carol:
yes, it was hard
Kath:
oh yes Carol, I had to learn how to use a computer
carol:
It was such a relief to find all this fabulous support online
carol:
I had misunderstood a lot on my own
carol:
:)
Elaine in CO:
I could never have done this without the community
HeatherT:
I am so grateful every day for the lists and the chats
Verla:
I read online for a long time before I ever posted
gretel:
yes, I agree, it was wonderful to be able to connect any time of day
gretel:
and chats were and still are the highlight of my week
Kath:
it blew me away that the author had invited feedback and contact!
Ramona:
Me, neither, Elaine
Verla:
posting was scary lol
gretel:
ya Kath
Jodi:
Yes, Verla.
Kath:
and to find that there were other people in Australia doing the food too was incredible!
HeatherT:
I agree Kath! I still feel like I'm getting special treatment because she's so accessible
carol:
yeah, I remember the first time I saw her actually respond to someone on the forum
carol:
I thought wow, what is this?
gretel:
yes, it's very unique and wonderful that she shares her time and research with us
Jodi:
I agree.
carol:
I also remember the first time I answered a post on the forum and shared my experience
carol:
I was so proud
gretel:
I was blown away the first time she commented on a post of mine on the forum
Ramona:
I love that she's one of us, not just some "expert."
carol:
:)
Elaine in CO:
awww
Elaine in CO:
:)
Roseann:
and I feel very safe here
gretel:
:) carol
carol:
oh my yes Roseann
Elaine in CO:
yes Roseann, definitely
carol:
the safety is amazing
HeatherT:
I agree Ramona. It makes it so much more real, because she knows exactly how we feel.
gretel:
yes, she 'lives' it with us and listens and responds to us, very nice
carol:
so we are moving through the steps
John:
sometimes I think, how does she know that about me? before I even know it
carol:
we are gaining stability
HeatherT:
Yes john!!!!
carol:
from our journals and our breakfast
carol:
and then we move to step 3
carol:
and what happens
gretel:
that was where the biggest changes began to happen
Ramona:
all kinds of interesting things :)
HeatherT:
our world changes...
Alison G:
healing! I settled
Jodi:
Stability
John:
feel more accomplished--three meals
Kath:
regularity transformed to a stability like I had never known before
carol:
yes
HeatherT:
Now I could feel good and not so irrational all day, not just at bf
Cindy:
thoughts became clearer
gretel:
yes clarity Cindy
HeatherT:
I learned to see cause and effect more easily
John:
yes
carol:
yes Heather T
gretel:
three regular meals meant feeling better throughout the day ow
carol:
when I started I intended to stay on step 3
carol:
I thought that would work out fine
carol:
LOL
Cindy:
:)
gretel:
LOL
John:
LOL
carol:
but the more stability I gained, the more I wanted
Alison G:
lol
Roseann:
lol
gretel:
I knew that wouldn't work for me because I was still eating too much sugar
Jodi:
Me too Carol. No way was I giving up sugar. LOL
John:
I stayed for like a year, maybe more
HeatherT:
But the cool thing is, you stayed there until you were ready to move on. Rather than some book or group telling you to move in 7 days
gretel:
and still feeling awful from the sugar
carol:
right Heather
Ramona:
I got so sick of sugar, eating it, planning it, bleh
gretel:
yah
HeatherT:
Right, gretel. the longer on step 3, the more noticeable the sugar feelings became for me, even though it's with a meal
Cindy:
yes, Ramona
Jodi:
And then I gave up sugar before I even got to step 6. I just didn't want it anymore.
carol:
well, I had been off sugar when I came into the program
carol:
LOL
carol:
so I went back on!
HeatherT:
LOL
gretel:
oh, LOL
carol:
I wanted to do things right
carol:
;)
HeatherT:
:)
John:
LOL cookies in your shake?
Ramona:
lol
Toni:
so did I, heard I had permission to eat it
HeatherT:
oh yeah
carol:
right Toni
carol:
so funny how it was all about sugar when I came in
carol:
but by the time detox rolled around, sugar was pretty unimportant
gretel:
well I gave up my hot fudge sundaes every night, but I still was eating a lot and I knew it was making me sick, so I did give it up pretty quickly
HeatherT:
I toyed with the idea of never going to step 6 because I was not about to give up my sugar. But now, as I approach step 5, it doesn't seem so scary
Kath:
I actually got to go from one meal to the next with no snack and not have my blood sugar drop too low
gretel:
Heather, for many it actually becomes a non issue
Toni:
and it is so worth it
HeatherT:
that's what I keep hearing gretel :)
gretel:
it is worth it
Elaine in CO:
I struggled and struggled to take out sugar... But when I was truly ready, it was simple and a non-issue
Jodi:
I would have never believed it, but I don't miss it.
carol:
yes
Elaine in CO:
I just never had the patience to wait to be ready!
HeatherT:
that's awesome
carol:
and I think it was important to me to add it back in because then when I was ready to take it out
carol:
it became about abundance rather than deprivation
HeatherT:
exactly.... a choice rather than a mandate
gretel:
yah
Kath:
yes!, abundance, choosing, not 'have to'
Alison G:
yes
Jodi:
I just reached my one year detox anniversary and I thought I have less sugar in a year than I had at one sitting before. Amazing!
HeatherT:
When I first started that's something Kathleen really touched on repeatedly in my posts....you can choose to do this, or choose not to; no one is telling you you have to
Elaine in CO:
choice, yes, that is important -- *free will*
Kath:
Yay Jodi
carol:
right Jodi
gretel:
GREAT Jodi!
HeatherT:
that's amazing Jodi! great job!
Kath:
really free, yes Elaine
carol:
congrats!
Jodi:
Thanks.
carol:
yes, I loved and hated that free choice thing
gretel:
LOL
John:
me too Carol
carol:
:)
HeatherT:
Me too!!!! It seems easier when someone tells you what to do. But life change doesn't happen.
gretel:
don't tell me what to do, but please tell me what to eat, LOL
HeatherT:
lol
John:
lol right
Cindy:
I wanted to know exactly what to do when.
Jodi:
LOL
carol:
exactly gretel!
gretel:
yah Cindy, then if it didn't work I could 'blame'
Cindy:
yes, Gretel
Kath:
and yet, some specific instructions to get me started did really help
Elaine in CO:
Yes, Gretel, blame someone/something else
gretel:
the problem was, everything worked, LOL
Elaine in CO:
rooftop
carol:
in the article Kathleen mentions all the things that have improved in your life by the time you get ready for detox
gretel:
physically I felt soooooooooo much better
Elaine in CO:
oh my yes
carol:
what are some of those things for you?
gretel:
clarity of thinking
Cindy:
the negative self talk was gone
gretel:
mood swings stopped
John:
more functional in every way, brain, body
Elaine in CO:
Well, I got sober
Ramona:
I have a lot more energy and a lot less pain.
Jodi:
No more roller coaster.
John:
can make decisions for myself
gretel:
way more energy
Cindy:
not munching on problems forever
gretel:
a sense of purpose
John:
can talk to people--sort of :)
Roseann:
can come at problems from a solution point of view now
Cindy:
doing instead of thinking obsessively about things
gretel:
much better self esteem
John:
can smile
John:
can laugh
Elaine in CO:
Yes, John, my extreme shyness got better before I went off sugar
gretel:
willingness to be open
Cindy:
being really happy at times
carol:
this is so touching
Toni:
creativity returned
HeatherT:
This is so encouraging...
Kath:
my panic attacks began to reduce
gretel:
went back to school
gretel:
at age 60 :)
John:
me too Kath---that was huge
Ramona:
me, too, Gretel
Ramona:
went back to work, too
Jodi:
That's wonderful, Gretel.
gretel:
yes Ramona
Alison G:
was able to go to work
gretel:
used a new skill creatively
John:
could write and have it make sense
Kath:
coped with things that would previously have overwhelmed me
gretel:
and......... family relations improved, I wasn't so grouchy
Toni:
calm inner being, no longer reactive
HeatherT:
I love this list
Kath:
yes gretel, mine too
gretel:
way less reactive, yes
Ramona:
yes, my marriage is much happier
carol:
I love love love not being reactive all the time!
Jodi:
I get along with my kids instead of fighting with them constantly.
HeatherT:
mine too Ramona, and I'm only on step 5
HeatherT:
more patient and tolerant
John:
yes, less angry
carol:
well, things improve right away, that is what is so fabulous
HeatherT:
Me too Carol. That's probably my biggest improvement so far.
Kath:
I became able to say "no" I no longer felt dragged along by everyone else's say so
carol:
you don't have to be on any magic step number for your life to get better
Elaine in CO:
Right Caro;
gretel:
I began to develop an inner spiritual life
HeatherT:
Thankfully!
John:
that's true
Cindy:
yes, carol it happens on the journey
carol:
right Cindy
Kath:
I began to see the depth and real meanings of the spiritual life I had been attending for so long
carol:
I am just stunned at this list
Elaine in CO:
I know, it blows me away, too
carol:
whew!
gretel:
really, this program has transformed my whole life and that of my family
Ramona:
Things began to heal on step 3, deep, childhood traumas, I felt like they were just dissolving in my sleep.
Jodi:
Me too, Gretel.
gretel:
I realized tonight everyone except one child is doing breakfast!!!
Cindy:
it is really powerful
Alison G:
mine too gretel
gretel:
Most of them are doing the shake
Elaine in CO:
Wow Ramona
carol:
Ramona that is wonderful
carol:
cool gretel
John:
me to Ramona--how bizarre is that!
Ramona:
It was awesome!
Jodi:
Now I can see others who should be having a shake. LOL
carol:
well, I think it is what happens when we open to healing
gretel:
I gave a year subscription to shake to two of my children, one niece and my husband, how cool is that, LOL!
John:
no need for therapy
Kath:
it is astounding, the beauty that is just waiting to be revealed in us
carol:
cool gretel
Cindy:
very cool gretel
carol:
yes Kath, what a lovely way to put it
Kath:
it feels like living archeology
Ramona:
what a nice gift, Gretel!
gretel:
How do we explain this to newcomers, LOL
John:
LOL
Jodi:
I have learned to break out the food when my family starts getting contrary.
Kath:
yes Jodi
HeatherT:
Yes Jodi!!!
gretel:
yah Jodi!
John:
Jodi :)
Kath:
it works every time!
carol:
does anyone need a breather?
Cindy:
yes, Jodi. Even when it is almost time for supper
carol:
we have about 5 minutes left
Elaine in CO:
This has been a wonderful chat
gretel:
I think it has been great to review the process I've gone through
HeatherT:
Just phenomenal...
carol:
yes gretel, I love to review
John:
very grateful for RR
Cindy:
interesting to contract before and now
gretel:
and to see how chaos does not rule my life today
Jodi:
It makes me want to put even more into the program.
Alison G:
wonderful chat Carol :)
HeatherT:
And to see all the changes. Sometimes it's easy for me to think that not so much has changed because it happens in slow spurts
Ramona:
My bad days now are like my good days before RR. It helps to remember that when I'm having a bad day.
HeatherT:
Me too Jodi
HeatherT:
Jodi
gretel:
Heather, I remember when you first started and how far you've come, wonderful!!
carol:
I am coming up on my anniversary of entering the program so I have been thinking about these very things that were in the article
HeatherT:
Really? Thanks Gretel!
gretel:
me too Carol
Kath:
oh yes Ramona!
Kath:
to realize oh wow, this is what life used to be like!!
HeatherT:
January is my anniversary month also
Jodi:
I love to go back and read my first journal to see how far I have come.
carol:
February is mine
gretel:
and these chats have been instrumental in keeping me motivated
John:
yes, yes
HeatherT:
Me too Gretel
carol:
I always think it was a valentine I gave myself
carol:
:)
Ramona:
Oh, mine is February, too! I'd forgotten that.
gretel:
nice Carol
Kath:
I think of that past time as an existence, not life at all
HeatherT:
:) that's so great!
Ramona:
Nice, Carol :)
John:
well put Kath
gretel:
Thank you Carol for leading tonight, very nice
Cindy:
Thanks Carol and everyone! good night
John:
ty Carol
HeatherT:
Yes, thank you Carol.
Ramona:
Yes, thanks, Carol.
carol:
it was my pleasure
Jodi:
Thanks, Carol.
Roseann:
Thanks Carol, great chat. Good night everyone
Elaine in CO:
Thank you Carol, this was lovely
Toni:
Thank you, night all!
John:
night everyone
Jodi:
Goodnight all.
Ramona:
Good night, everyone.
gretel:
night all
HeatherT:
Have a fabulous week everyone. So great to hear from you all.
Alison G:
goodnight. thanks carol
carol:
and my hands have finally stopped sweating!
carol:
LOL
HeatherT:
lol
carol:
goodnight!
Toni:
lol
gretel:
LOL
Kath:
LOL

© Kathleen DesMaisons 2012 All rights reserved.