Do you let yourself have the things that you think will bring you joy?

I’ve been sitting with this question recently because a little over 20 days ago, I started a 30 day food cleanse. I noticed I was emotionally eat whenever I felt overwhelmed and over the last year I started having some health issues that could be exacerbated by the food I was eating. The moment I switched from eating “food” to drinking my superfood drinks, I felt sadness. I realized in that moment how much Joy I got from being in the kitchen. Even though I knew I could achieve the results I wanted without doing such a strict cleanse, I did it anyway. I had paid the money for it and I didn’t want it to go to waste. But in the process, I replaced my genuine Joy for food with a lot of “can’t” and “shouldn’t”.

How many times do we want something but we hold ourselves back because of the rigid beliefs we have around how things are supposed to look?

I want to go on a three-day weekend retreat… But I can’t because I have to work.

I’m craving a cookie right now… But I can’t because it’s only 10AM.
I want to sit on the couch and veg tonight… But I can’t, I have so much work to do.

If we don’t allow ourselves to have our smaller desires, we are teaching ourselves how to not honor what we want in a given moment. We are teaching ourselves how to live within a box of “appropriate” and not how to listen to the truth that’s inside of us. There is a line that takes discernment here because clearly eating a box of cookies when you first wake up every morning may be a problem over time, but in those moments when you’re feeling playful and a little wild, eat the cookie!

We must uncage ourselves and stop the sticky ureteric that self-sacrifice will make us better people.  

What is something that brings you joy that you don’t let yourself have?

What’s something fun and playful you can do even if it’s not “responsible”?