Reset with Real Food Ice Cream

Here is a real food ice cream dessert I found here, that uses lemons, blueberries, coconut milk, and an avocado. With my anniversary last week, along with our weekend getaway and anniversary party, I ate well...I mean really well!

This recipe is a great way to get back on track, while satisfying a sweet tooth! Tell me what you think of this refreshing treat, and as always, find what gives you joy in your life!

Advice I Wish I Could Give to my Newlywed Self, 25 years later...

My 25th wedding anniversary is today! It's hard to believe that my husband and I have been married this long, although it can feel like our wedding was yesterday. I've been going through old photos, putting together mini-slide shows from Flipagram, and there are so many memories in them. There are the happy and the sad, knowing that behind the pictures, there's always more to the story. I'm glad that we stuck through it all, good and bad, because marriage is not an easy road. Sometimes I wish I knew then what I know now, so here's some wisdom and advice from my own experience to those early on in their married life, even those married longer, but may be struggling.

Marriage is tough. It's not perfect, and it's not always happy. It has many challenges and can test a person in many ways. You will realize your love must be based on more than passion, because day-to-day marriage is not a romantic comedy; it's more like a dramedy! Come to think of it, marriage is like being on "Naked & Afraid"...Two people who don't know each other, who are placed in unknown territory, stripped down and vulnerable, with nothing but their own survival skills, and the willingness to work with the other person in order to survive.

Marriage takes commitment and perseverance. For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer...you stick with it! Do this, and you will find that the joy in your relationship stems from the vows you took on your wedding day, not from the feelings you felt on your wedding day. Marriage takes constant work and the will to do it everyday. You must have optimism in your future and life together. You have to accept who your spouse is, and be comfortable in what your relationship is...all without compromising who you are and what you believe in as an individual.

I found this quote a few years ago, and thought it perfectly summarized what I believe is the key to a successful marriage. "Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction" -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Wind, Sand and Stars.

Whether you are married or in a serious relationship, remember the vows you made to each other. Realize the meaning and responsibility you took on when you promised these words to your partner. I have no doubt more people can have satisfaction in their marriages and relationships if they enjoy and appreciate the better, but also are steadfast and work through the worse.

Consider these words when you are going through a rough patch in your marriage and relationship. Believe me, it's not easy to work through these trials, but if you weather the storm, it is well worth it in the end. When you can sit with your mate and know that you are looking out into the same direction, the contentment that fills you will give you joy in your life and marriage!

<3 Cheryl Joy

Through the years (left to right): First date- Spring 1984, Engagement photo-Spring 1989, Honeymoon in Monterey, CA, 1st year at Sigma Chi Formal, 5th year on a Mexican Riviera Cruise, 10th year with the Kiddos at Panda Inn, 15th year on a cruise to Cabo, 20th year in Pasadena, CA, The day before our 25th during our daily commute in Sacramento, CA.

Daydreaming

I was one of those kids who was always in my imagination, trying to bring what I envisioned into life. I wanted to build a playhouse or a tree house. I would dream up my own versions of skits and plays, forcing my younger siblings and friends, who were like siblings to me, to perform a variety show for our parents in our downstairs den, costumes and all! Our school had a yearly May Festival, and I recreated my version in our South Pasadena backyard, selling tickets to my mother so she could buy the cookies that were used with ingredients that she had purchased! As I crossed over into Junior High, these activities seemed silly, and not so cool. This is when my time with my imagination dwindled. 

With all the responsibilities and practicalities of life, I craved something more, but couldn't put my finger on it. What seemed silly and uncool as a teenager became something I would long for as I reached adulthood, and it continued to nag at me. What I wanted was to find what gave me that joy, as I was putting my imagination into life; the creativity in my being needed expression. As corny and clique as it may sound, I wanted a passion...something that I got excited about, something that I couldn't stop thinking about, something that I enjoyed so much that time just passed by!

In order to find that need, that want, that passion in us, we need to quiet our mind, and look inward to find the clarity of our thoughts and awareness of what gives us joy. Personally, I pray and trust that God's plan will unfold, but with my stubbornness, I was never still enough to listen. This is where meditation and journaling have helped me.

Take action, and don't give up on your dreams! As you steadily realize what drives you, you will begin to just do what makes you excited & invigorated, bringing joy in your life!

<3 Cheryl Joy

What is your Passion Project?

When I had my idea for the Joy life club blog, I was hesitant since I had already started (and have since stopped) a blog, ShoeAxis , a couple years ago. I wasn't sure if I wanted to put myself "out there" again, but I still longed for a creative outlet to latch onto. Even though my daily work as a Nurse Practitioner was fulfilling, it lacked in inspiring me.  My desire to do something that was unrelated to my day job, brought me to start a fashion blog. I believe I was on the right track, but I needed to fine-tune my intentions and focus. 

The irony is that I found my passion was not for fashion, but for health & wellness---an area I was already in! Throughout my career as a medical healthcare provider, I was inclined to educating patients about their lifestyle habits . When patients came back for follow-up---improving their blood pressure readings, their labs results, even losing weight and feeling better, I felt empowered! To be a part of somebody's transformation is awe-inspiring. We are magnificent creatures made by an awesome God!  

When I finally sat in silence, and pondered my life during my meditation, the obvious came clear. I was frustrated with conventional medicine's traditional and stringent approach to a patient's chronic health problems; addressing a symptom as a separate entity, verses addressing the symptom in how it relates to the whole person, in order to find the core problem. This is an area of medicine where I knew I could make a change in, and make a difference with my knowledge and experience, and yes, with my passion!

Sometimes I wonder why it took me so long to get it. Why I had to go through disappointments and failures. I sure did feel silly at times, but my first little blog actually got me out of my comfort zone, so for that I am grateful for my short stint with ShoeAxis. Experiences, circumstances, or even seemingly random moments in life, should remind us that there is a point and a purpose for whatever we are doing, whatever we are going through, to bring us to where we currently are. Sometimes we are too stubborn, too clueless, or too busy trying to figure it all out, that we forget to just be calm and still during these instances. 

A friend of mine forwarded this article to me, and it was exactly what I had been feeling, validating that I wasn't alone in wanting to be enlivened, to do more, having a purpose, and giving back. Have you found the thing that enriches your life, whether it's an aspect of your career you can expand on, whether it's a hobby you have neglected and want to get back into, whether it's something you haven't quite figured out yet? Take the time to pause and consider what it is that stirs you, that motivates you, that inspires you. With a little prayer, and in the stillness of the moment, you will find clarity in the purpose that gives you joy in life!

The Next Step to Just Be Authentic: Eat & Enjoy being satisfied with Real Food!

We have to remember that, what is most important about healthy nutrition and eating well, is that we need food in order to survive. Our bodies were made to eat so we can supply it with nourishment and energy. In our modern world, the convenient access to food and water has improved quality of life. It has also been detrimental to the quality of our health, with processed, junk, and fast "food".

This is why we have to choose what we eat wisely, because it's not about the calories in the food, it's about the quality of the food that's essential. Here are some tips to improve your authentic self by feeding yourself authentic food!

• Remember: Real people eat real food! We really are what we eat, so how can we be authentic when we eat manufactured, processed substances, that claim to be food? Go to the local farmer's market, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or just go to the produce section of the grocery store! Even better, plant and grow your own produce or ask friends for their overflow of vegetables and fruit from their gardens.
• Plan your meals & food shopping trips. Having a meal plan and shopping list helps focus your grocery shopping to what is necessary, leaving the chance for spontaneous & random purchases at a minimum.
• Set up an experience. In our distracted, digital society, we often don't experience our food. We miss out on what is going on around us, the socializing while eating, which is often relegated to special occasions. Take time to set the table, even if it's only for yourself, and stage a lovely ambience for your meal.
• Eat with intention. Even without watching TV, reading a book can also be a diversion from the awareness of eating. Being mindful about what you are eating; how it tastes and feels in your mouth, the sights and sounds around you, the feelings you experience while eating. These factors all contribute to the enjoyment of a meal, so don't cheat yourself out of this joy!
• Take time to enjoy and savor food. When we take the time and effort to plan our meals with real food, setting up an experience with intention, the act of eating can become a meditative act. The food tastes better, the moment feels special, and eating becomes more soothing, satisfying instead of a rushed, haphazard activity.

So remember to always---Eat & Enjoy being satisfied with Real Food! This will bring you more fulfillment & gratification, thus avoiding unhealthy overeating, bringing you more joy in your life (and tummy)!

Dinner made by my oldest daughter...Quinoa, roasted vegetable, & tri-tip tacos with freshly-made guacamole and salsa! (Her and my son left out the tri-tip, since they're vegetarians).

The Next Step to Just Be Active: Rebounding & Yoga

Just like I stated in the last post on Active Relaxation, a good place to start being active, is with the Active Movement exercises from the 30-DJT Journey. If you haven't already started these exercises, because you just "scanned through" the blog posts, I encourage you to at least try the Active Movement portions of the day, here, here, here, and here! 

Now to the next step of being active...REBOUNDING & YOGA! In my opinion, after walking, these are the two easiest and most effective forms of exercise! The great thing about these exercises is that you don't feel like you're "exercising"; plus they can be done by most anyone, at any fitness level and intensity. 

What is Rebounding, you ask?! Well, it's basically bouncing on a mini-trampoline! You can purchase one at Amazon. If you need something to hold onto to help stabilize you, here's another model. They are as inexpensive as $30, costing upwards to $150. In just 15 minutes of jumping, "jogging", "skiing", side-stepping, or even gentle bouncing on the rebounder, you get a great workout, as noted in this article. Rebounding helps drain toxins from the body by increasing lymphatic system flow. For those of you with bad joints, from years of running or other high impact activity, rebounding helps improve bone density! Start with this trampoline workout from WebMD, here.

Now for Yoga! You may say, "Not for me...I can't get into all those impossible, contorting positions!" Well, I'm here to tell you that in order to get the calming, strengthening, meditative, and restorative benefits of yoga, you don't need to do all that! This link  has a sample 15-minute beginner's class to try yoga out for free! The Yoga Studio app is great for anyone, since it offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes, with classes from 10 to 60 minutes, and a choice of focus. Yoga has so many benefits, from stress reduction to heart health, from flexibility to strengthening, as noted in this article here.

So take the next step! Incorporate these valuable exercises into your daily routine, reaping the rewards of improved physical and mental health! Enjoy these fun, relaxing activities, and as always, find what gives you joy in your life.

<3 Cheryl Joy