Welcome to Grace and Space, a weekly newsletter from the Deconstructing Mamas Podcast! GRACE for who you have been, are now and SPACE for who you are becoming and will be!
Sign up to make sure it pops right into your inbox HERE.
"I realized that I still feel like joy is contingent on getting enough done or being worthy."
Those are the words I spoke last night in my meditation class after our instructor had us meditate on joy. Almost immediately, my eyes welled with tears as I thought about where I feel joy. I knew I could feel it in my heart, but I also knew I had boxed it in based on being "good enough" or "deserving it," and so forth.
It really shocked me. Here I am, the finding joy person, and there I sat, with stipulations on joy.
I sat with that uncomfortable feeling and wondered about the worthiness of the joy label I didn't realize I still had. Honestly, at its root was perfectionism.
If it wasn't perfect (or really good), then joy was deferred because I had told myself I wasn't worthy of the good.
Ouch, right?
Here's the thing about meditation, especially in a class—you can't run from the thoughts and insights because you are committing to a set period of time to just sit with them. So instead of judging myself harshly, I simply told myself, "You are worthy of joy no matter what."
And then I started to hear music -- all the music I've played on the piano for forty years, the music I write to, the music that makes me teary -- and I realize that joy for me is found there -- in the notes and melodies that transcends the now.
That is joy.
Joy isn't contingent on perfection. Joy is seeing/feeling/hearing/experiencing good in life—in the good, the hard, the normal, the wonderful.
You are worthy of joy.
Let me repeat that - you are worthy of joy.
In your life, now.
Dare to see if you've developed parameters limiting it and dare even more to start looking for joy. It most often is in the small—a smile from a stranger, a great cup of coffee, the way the light flitters through the fall leaves—it's there, and it depends on you and me and all of us being brave enough to say, "Today I will find joy."
Much love to you.
(This blog post was written by our guest this week, Rachel Marie Martin, and you can find it on her Facebook Page HERE).
This Week on the Podcast:
“Your soul is waiting for you to say yes to it again.” Rachel Marie Martin
Our episode this week is with Rachel Marie Martin, the ever-popular social media site called "Finding Joy." She is the author of three books, the biological mom of seven, the bonus mom to four and the daughter of church planters.
Rachel has a fierce passion to be vulnerable and tell her story in all its "rawness." Why is she so raw? Because that’s her heart and in sharing she hopes you too unearth and celebrate your own bravery, story and purpose.
If you feel like you have lost your "spark" or don't know if you are allowed to or find yourself unable to truly experience joy, this podcast episode is for you.
Some of the topics we explore are these:
Rediscovering your spark, especially for those of us who feel lost or stuck in your own story.
What a "soul map" is and how to create it.
How we can get our spark backin the midst of wiping baby butts and driving kids all over creation.
Wisdom for those who are just feeling so overwhelmed in their day-to-day.
Helping our kids to love their own story and embrace who they are early on, perhaps fanning their “spark” so they never lose it.
Our favorite words from this podcast episode were things like "soul map" and "unstuck" and "brave" "wondering." Find out why when you listen.
You can find Rachel at the following:
Website: Finding Joy
Instagram: @finding_joy
Facebook: Finding Joy
Latest News:
Want extras from Lizz & Esther, including live reels, deeper discussion about topics on the podcast, first dibs on knowing about future exciting projects, and exclusive deals on those projects? Become a subscriber on Instagram or Facebook for LESS THAN $3/month.
We love our podcast!
We love our guests!
We love our team!
We love helping you walk the tricky tightrope of parenting and deconstructing at the same time!
We do NOT love asking for help (or money) in order to keep it going!
But we also don't love feeling alone in this!
Head to Instagram HERE and Facebook HERE! You won't regret it! And plus, the reality is that you will help us keep the lights on over here at Deconstructing Mamas. We really really want to! Thank you in advance!
Resource Alerts:
There is a fire within you. In her newest book, author and influencer Rachel Marie Martin shares deeply personal stories and hard-won wisdom to inspire readers to spark their soul’s fire and live a life of happiness.
Over the last ten years of writing for her blog, Finding Joy, thousands of readers have asked Rachel, “How do I get my spark back?” In Get Your Spark Back, she answers this question, helping readers lean into and invest in their own stories. Throughout the years, readers have watched as Rachel navigated a divorce, fixed her finances, started a seven-figure business, dealt with estrangement, moved cross-country and remarried. During that time, there came a day when she wondered, “Who am I now? What’s my spark?”
She set out on a journey to not only rediscover her spark, but also to share the process of self-investment with others. Through personal stories and practical action steps, Rachel not only teaches you how to find and reignite your spark but also how to fan those flames to live a vibrant, happy, and fulfilled life.
In Get Your Spark Back, Rachel Marie Martin empowers readers to:
Identify and reframe self-imposed limitations
Embrace uncomfortable thinking and master the art of wondering
Discover what truly sets your soul on fire
Reframe your relationship with money
Lean into possibilities and set audacious goals
Reframe time and create consistent habits
Create a soul map
Live a life of joy and purpose
For anyone who has ever felt uninspired and lost or is wondering “What’s next?”, Get Your Spark Back is a transformative and motivational guide to reigniting your inner fire and living with deep happiness, intention, and an all out zest for life.
Can't wait until Tuesday and need just a little snippet from our podcast episode that's coming up on October 22, with Rachel Marie Martin.
One last thing. We want to remind you that we are so glad you are here. We wouldn't be the same without you. You will always find GRACE for where you've been and who you are now, and SPACE for who you are becoming and will be.
Carry on, our new-found friends. Welcome to the twisty-windy, full -of-adventure faith path that's laid out before us all. Love,
Lizz & Esther
P.S. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!
Comments