spring cherry
May 4, 2023,
 
Hi {!firstname_fix}, 
  
We completed the class on Restriction. It was powerful to say the least. Completed the class and then shifted to working on Step One and it is work, LOL. I wanted to share something I said to someone just starting on Step Two. Someone had shared that she didn't want to "waste" pages in her journal. Blank pages, I thought a lot about blank pages. Blank pages are the days that life moved too fast, when warp speed accelerated and I barely got to eat, let alone write in my journal, let alone be reflective.
 
How do I handle blank pages? I write a note at the top for why there is a break in the dates for the "all blank" but I leave the short changed pages in there because that is part of the remembering.  But then this morning I wrote a quick email to someon who was struggling. It was early, so it wasn't really in "thinking" mode, it was from a deep heart place. This is what I wrote:
 
Even the blank pages speak volumes. Remember that your addict has kept you alive. She knows that is her job and is afraid that if she doesn’t do it, you will die. So you need to help her learn that she will still be there helping you with different skills. Retrained, she will be a mighty force for healing. 
 
When I reread it, I had such compassion for the part of us who is terrified...just terrified. And I think I will do a class about it. this is the ESSENCE of what gets in the way. Always. So we can keep looking at it.
 
I will put the class up in Sunday's newsletter. We will get back ontrack with regular newsletter than as well.
 
Support for Your Program
Journals
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
                                                         

 ReD THIS, LOL. IT DOES HAVE SOMETHING NEW IN IT. REQWe have a master community email list. It is nice place to get started if you are new to the community or are coming back and are wondering what to do.  Introduce yourself and ask for help. Or just listen. We won't mind.

The list has been quiet recently but we will get some energy over there with conversations about sweeteners and doing the food. The community is made up of a huge number of introverts which means LISTENING is held in high esteem. We will direct you to the right spot for your questions. It's fine if you know nothing, just stop in and you will be welcomed.

 

GROUPS
The groups list is up on the web site. Click on the top bar where it says GROUPS> Just sign up for the group you would like to join. Read about the group before you ask to join. If you are starting or returning, join the Step One list. Don't join Step One and Step Two and Step Three all at the same time. If you. have any trouble joining, send me an email at  and we will get you all set.
 Join the Step One List now.
 
Let me give you a little overview of how things fit together.Think 3 phases of recovery, pre-steps, steps, and life on Step 7.  Now, all of this kinda slowed down during covid.  It may seem like a lot of "new" stuff but it really isn't. We will talk about it in the chats over the next couple of weeks so you can ask questions and get clear.
 
Step lists: doing the food and getting skills for each step. They support getting off of sugar and healing sugar addiction. There is no fee for being on the step lists.
 
And then comes support for the things you want to do after you are steady.
 
YLD is for  healing fat terror, losing weight, healing your body image and learning to exercise in a healthy way. We do zoom chats  every week as part of YLD. And there are a lot of people in YLD who are not at all concerned about weight but just love the connection.
 
You can email me if you have an questions.
 

WORKING ONE ON ONE WITH KATHLEEN 
People wonder if it would be beneficial with me directly. I can help you step out of the craziness of sugar addiction, return to steadiness and clarity after slipping away, slow down and focus on your recovery, or deepen a steady rhythm of recovery. This particular option is especially helpful if you did the steps a while ago and then kinda meandered away. Or if you are facing some intense times and would like skillful support. 
 
The most useful time to think about this is after you have started Step 3. Even if you do just one session, I can help you "see" the places that might be the hardest for you. Basically it shortens the groping around by a year or so. I continue  this in so you have it as a "safety net."
 
Go here to learn more about it.  we can do a no fee"discovery" session to see if commiting to one on one work would be a good fit for both of us. Email me if you would like more information. I am happy to talk to you about options. 
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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
If you prefer talking on Facebook, come over to our group there. Radiant Recovery®, While our Facebook presence is primarily intended to be "social". The step work support happens on the lists.

Testimonial for the Week

Hi Friends!


 

Something wonderful is happening and I wanted to share it with you.


 

Last night I was laying in bed after a very tough, long day and I noticed that my chest felt light and my breathing felt ... well ... different. Like I was getting air all of the way in the to the bottom of my lungs without any effort. Rather hard to describe.
 

Today I'm at work and I feel physically **light** all over. I have no pain anywhere in my body, my head is not stuffed up, no headache. No pain in my neck or shoulders. I feel such a sense of well being in my body that I have NEVER felt before. I am almost afraid to tell you about it for fear I will jinx it and it will go away.

 

My body has physically hurt almost everyday for the last 13 years. I would have aches that feel like the flu that would vary in intensity from a dull ache to overwhelming pain. I always felt exhausted no matter how much sleep I got. I have hard painful bunches of muscles in my neck and shoulders. I would have frequent headaches and a stuffy nose. I learned to ignore it after a while and just keep on going. The downside that is that I learned to ignore everything my body was telling me and I became very disconnected from it. It has been a real journey for me to reconnect with my body! The journal is SO worth the effort.

 

I hope this is the start of the miracle and I get to feel like this a lot of the time if not ALL of the time! It actually brings tears to my eyes - I have hurt SO long - this is such a miracle!!! There is just no other way to put it! And I am only on Step 3! Perhaps the more horrible you feel going into this the greater the change and the greater the miracle?!!!

 

Just had to tell you my wonderful news.

 

Diana

Recipes for Shake

 

My shake starts with water 1c, a serving of George's® Restore, cottage cheese, a serving of oats raw or cooked. Add the flavors and spice put it in the fridge the night before. In the morning I add another cup of water to thin it out. Sometimes I use almond or oatmilk. In the summer, I add ice cubes before I blend.

The key is to experiment. My shakes didn't look like this in the beginning. When first started I used a lot more fruit. Right now I don't use any. And I make my shake the night before so it is ready for me in the morning and I can have breakfast right away. And I think the shake tastes better. Often times I will add a little more liquid in the morning.

 

Often times others will post a flavor and I play with it until I like it for myself. I think shakes are kinda individual b/c when we first start out, some of us use a lot of fruit then slowly cut it way down or out completely. Some like cottage cheese in their shake and others don't. Some like raw oats in the shake and some prefer it already cooked.  I like it both ways. Also, the amounts of protein varies for each person. And so on.

 

Orange? I peeled pulled apart the orange sections and then froze them. I add 2 orange sections to my shake mixture in the blender. Sometimes I add cinnamon.

 

Apple pie: applesauce, about 2T and apple pie spice  a few shakes I sometimes add walnuts.

 

Peach spice: 1/4 of a peach and some cinnamon.

 

Banana nut: about a 1-2 "piece of banana and small handful of walnuts.

 

Peanutbutter banana: about 1 T peanut butter and 1 inch piece banana.

 

Blueberry: I am still playing but have used a small handful of blueberries. Probably the same for other berries.

 

Strawberry banana: 1-2 strawberrie, med-sm, 1" piece banana.

 

Cherry .....about 3 or 4 cherries sometimes I add vanilla and almonds.

 

Pumpkin, about 1/4c canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.

 

Chocolate/cherry: I use chocolate soy milk and a Restore with 3-4 cherries and a few drops of cherry extract.

 

Sometimes I use baby food about 1-2 T for my flavors.

 
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Radiant Recovery Store
David Smiling
David, my oldest son, runs our store. He makes sure your orders go out quickly and works with you to find the best things suited to where you are in your process. Many people think of him as their personal concierage.
 
Please note, we are making progress with George's® Restore. We don't have a date yet.  We will keep you posted. And yes, we are going nuts too!
 

  In this newsletter we are featuring the Journal again. This is a great tool for your recovery. Remember the title says it all. Give your body a voice! Come visit our STORE. Or call 505-345-3737.
Your Product Name



Your Body Speaks

Your Last Diet

After all this time YLD continues to be a favorite place for people in the community.  In face we recently had a fascinating discussion about actually doing weight loss. It is so simple. The hard part is getting ready - the clearing out the desperation and the obsession. The actual "doing" is really mind boggling simple

 

Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun. And remember it is a lifetime membership so if you joined in 2008, or even in 2000 you can still come back.
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Our Values

 

One of our members decided to leave the community because one of the other members had posted about her *wife*. He felt that his moral values meant that he could not remain in a situation that allowed people to post about something he felt was wrong. To stay true to his values, he decided to walk away from the community and all that it has given him.

 

I responded to this decision on the list and stated that I was really saddened that his beliefs meant he had to leave something that had been so life giving.


As you might guess, this interaction stirred some pretty intense conversation. The most intense discussion took place on our leadership list. Not all of you may know that the community is led by a group volunteers who are in recovery and are committed to providing service to others. They work with me to hash out complex stuff. This fell into the complex stuff area.

 

Several years ago, we had another intense interaction with several people who are fundamental Christians and who felt very strongly that they should be allowed to quote scripture on the lists and to speak with people about how The Lord would lead them to recovery. I said no to this. They left. We then worked on what you now see as the *rules of the road* which include a reference to the fact that our religious beliefs are not part of how we support doing the food. This commitment has meant that we have created what I believe is a safe place for people from many different backgrounds.

 

At the time, we did not discuss the issue of one’s sexual orientation. It never seemed to be something that was in any way connected to doing the food. I never really think about whether someone’s referred to partner is the same or a different sex. But in leaving, this member challenged me about *hypocricy* and suggested that I was closing the door to people of god and letting *them* speak of their ways. In part of our following discussion, one suggestion was that I should have dealt with it quietly and off the list and just said, *OK, if you feel that way, I understand why you would need to leave*.

 

Intolerance by whatever name is not okay with me. And I honestly believe that the reason many people do not stand up for saying no is that it is uncomfortable. But not naming it in my mind means collusion and that is not what my life is about. I realize that it is time for me to extend our boundaries once again. I need to be clear and up front about the values that drive me and this community. You need to know what we stand for. You need to know what Radiance and Recovery mean on the deepest level.

 

In our leadership conversations, we asked Patti to help us through this. Patti’s tradition comes out of following The Word. I want to share her response with you. It touched me deeply and states the heart of the matter.
 

I've been reading the exchanges.. I read the email on why he chose to leave. And within all of this, at least for me, the important piece is what are our corporate values of leadership within Radiant Recovery?

 

At the bank where I am working the trainer said to us the other day, "It doesn't matter if you agree with the policies of the bank (some believing it should be one way, others another way; i.e. differing beliefs), YOU are the bank and therefore you will support the bank policies." In the same sort of fashion, I AM Radiant Recovery.


 

I re-read the values of Radiant Recovery last night (that are listed on the main RR webpage in detail). I wanted to write them here:


 

Simplicity

Respect

Listening

Accessibility

Integrity

Empowerment

Modeling

Responsibility


 

I believe adding to that *open and affirming* and stating what that means may be important. For me open and affirming means that we in leadership are here to support recovery no matter what the lifestyle - that our message is one of supporting recovery from addiction period - through love, which means that we offer support without moral judgments. For me it means we recognize the importance of serving ALL people within RR in caring ways. We strive for all the lists, forum, chats, YLD, etc., to reach out to all who seek support and growth through recovery. It means to me that we are free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical disability, or sexual orientation. It means to me that we support diversity.

 

So the question for me, and I think for each of us, is - can we each do that? No matter what our religious beliefs are, can we support and serve the community in this manner?

 

And in my humble opinion, having a moral compass doesn't work for me, because it will be filtered through my own personal moral values. My values may be different than yours, or Kathleen's. If I filter everything through it, then it means that I will most likely judge you by what I think is morally correct, what *I* think is truth. It therefore leaves no room for diversity.

 

Now, on that note do I fall short? Yep. I'm human and I say and do things that later I look at and think how hurtful my words or actions were or how judgmental. And I am saddened by it, just as some of the interactions here recently have saddened me. And do I have issues (life stories)? Yep. And sometimes within our interactions here my issues are touched and then I get to work through more pieces of it, more healing, if I choose that path.

 

What is truth? Do I have it, know it? Do I honestly know for a fact that living by rules is not life-giving? I don't know it for you. I only know it for me. I know what is truth for me. I know what is life-giving for me. And one thing I've realized in my path here in recovery is that what I believe today may not be what I believe in the future. For me, recovery is fluid, moving, changing, transforming. It is my desire to embrace our differences as we all work towards sharing our experience, strength, and hope to those in the RR community still suffering.


 

**************************************************


 

Patti’s comments touched me deeply. They affirm what I most want for this community. And they affirm who I am as a person. So we will add to our values statement, bless the growth, and go to the work of providing tools for healing for those who want a different way.


 

Kathleen

 

 

This is Grace unfolding. You are not alone.
©2023 Kathleen DesMaisons. All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your blog or website as long as you leave the content unaltered, use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®, and notify kathleen@radiantrecovery.com of the location. Please visit the Radiant Recovery® website at for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction. 

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