11 - When you find Joy as you twirl

A dose is there when you find Joy as you twirl a hula hoop

Transcript

Current Episode Introduction

This episode is informed by the verse of the poem representing the letter:

• J

• A dose is there when you find Joy as you twirl a hula-hoop

It includes a brief description of the verse, a personal reflection demonstrating how the verse has facilitated my own resonance with Doses of God in my life, a statement of gratitude, and a few guiding questions that may be considered for your own reflection.

Description

Here is description of the verse:

• A dose is there when you find Joy as you twirl a hula-hoop

• Twirling a hula-hoop is a productive way to find joy in life. It provides us with entertainment and exercise, which can be beneficial to the mind, body, and soul. It’s a fun way to work off those additional calories that you took in with your extra scoop of ice cream. God has a divine methodology for providing us with fun opportunities to compensate for some of the less-healthy extras that we receive. He knows that although the extra ice cream may not be an ideal product for our physical health, the little bit extra can significantly benefit our mind and spirit. And, He knows that by offering us fun opportunities to offset the physical consequences that can result from the ice cream, we can still maintain a healthy balance of mind, body, and spirit. Engaging in an activity that is productive and fun is a genuine blessing to our lives. Countless activities have potential to be productive and fun, especially those that align with our passions. Allow yourself to experience joy in the exercises you endure for your mind, body, and spirit. Let yourself follow a path that allows you to engage in the productive activities that you enjoy most.

Reflection

Here is my personal reflection on the verse:

• To me, this verse is about experiencing pleasure during physical activities that benefit multiple attributes of my holistic well-being. Physical activity is constructive when it contributes to the health of my body and bestows even further value when it enhances my emotional state or other domains of my well-being. There seems to be a positive relationship between my physical health and my emotional health, as I often find there can be an outcome of joy when participating in a physical activity that is good for my body. There are certainly examples of when this is not an accurate statement, but, generally speaking, as my physical health increases or is adequately sustained, my emotional health tends to follow suit. In a literal sense of the verse, although I haven’t been an avid hula-hooper over the years, there have been instances in my life when I did find joy twirling a hula-hoop, and I anticipate there may be times in the future when I will find another moment of fun hula-hooping if I am physically capable and there is one available in a setting that is conducive for me to give it a try. In a broader sense of the verse, I found frequent enjoyment through a variety of physical activities during my more youthful years. This doesn’t happen quite as frequently as when I was a young child; however, I have continued to find fun through a variety of activities as my age has advanced. A few examples include water skiing, longboarding, riding bike, ice skating, taking our dogs on a walk, and playing tennis, racquetball, basketball, baseball catch, golf, and frisbee golf.

• Periodically, I experience pleasure in a physical activity simply because my body loves the way it feels. Examples of this include carving on my longboard while coasting down the gentle slope of the road that runs past our house or cutting across the wake on a slalom water ski. Sometimes, my happiness increases when I am engaging in an activity with someone close to me, and our collective enthusiasm for the activity has a magnifying effect on my joy. An example of this is playing tennis with friends or my kids. This type of activity benefits my physical, emotional, and social well-being. Other times, my joy during an activity increases because it serves a broader purpose. An example of this is walking my dogs because it gives them exercise as well.

• Although desirable, I have realized that joy does not always accompany physical activity. For instance, over the span of a few months, I became obsessed with using a step counter to track my steps each day, which seemed to provide some motivation for being physically active in the form of walking. Eventually, however, I discovered that it restricted me from engaging in activities I found more enjoyable, such as riding my longboard. I don’t mind walking, but I love longboarding, and I consider these activities to be relatively equal in the extent to which they help me stay in shape physically. I got so caught up in counting steps with my tracking device that I began to progressively allocate more time and effort toward walking--even though it wasn’t nearly as fun as longboarding--simply because I could obtain a higher step count. Although both activities would have helped me stay in shape, I chose to walk instead of longboard. In this case, I sacrificed the joy of longboarding so I could walk instead as a means to improve my step count. It felt like a tragedy, really. I might have perceived this differently if counting my steps had also been accompanied by cordial step-count challenges with family and friends that promoted productive social interaction and enhanced relationships, but I was only counting steps to feed my own obsession and not to promote enhanced or sustained relationships with others.

• I prefer to engage in fun, physical activities that yield holistic outcomes, but activities I consider to be the most joyful are not always readily accessible. For example, waterskiing, longboarding, playing tennis, and golfing are often not as accessible as physical activities I can complete in my home. Consequently, I find myself engaging in exercises that might not bring me quite as much joy as a means for maintaining sufficient strength and endurance for my lifestyle. Examples of these activities include riding an elliptical or exercise bike in my basement or completing a quick dumbbell strength training circuit in my home office. These activities are readily accessible to me, and I choose to pursue them when I am attentive to the realization that doing a physical activity promotes my holistic well-being to a greater degree than being sedentary, even if I don’t find extensive joy during the process. I also realize that these types of activities will better equip me to be adequately fit for participation in other activities that I enjoy more thoroughly when those opportunities arise. Ultimately, if I don’t take appropriate care of my physical body by engaging in some physical exercises that are not quite as enjoyable from time to time, I might not be in good enough shape to do other activities I enjoy more.

Gratitude Statement

I am immeasurably grateful for:

• all the physical activities that bring joy to my life and will strive to remain attentive to opportunities for being physically active in fun ways.

Guiding Questions

Here are a few guiding questions to consider that might facilitate your own personal reflection upon the verse:

• A dose is there when you find Joy as you twirl a hula-hoop

Take a moment to reflect on:

• physical activities that are fun and beneficial to your body as well as to other attributes of your holistic well-being

For example:

• What are examples of activities you enjoy that are productive to your holistic well-being beyond the health of your body?

• In what ways do these activities benefit your holistic well-being?

• How do you feel when you participate in these types of activities?

• How do you express gratitude for the ability to be physically active in these ways?

• What strategies could you implement to maintain awareness of opportunities to participate in these types of activities?

Closing Statement

In closing:

• when you find joy in activities that benefit your body, mind, and other attributes of your holistic well-being, you receive a Dose of God.

Next Episode

The next episode in this series will focus on the verse representing the letter:

• K

• It's in the pleasant sounds of Kids as they play freely through the house

Positive Vibes

Thank you so much for listening. May you consistently position yourself to accept and resonate with the Doses of God that are ever-presently here for you.