By Joy Pape, FNP-C, CDCES, CFCN
I am Joy Pape, a board-certified nurse practitioner who believes in and practices wholistic health and healing. In this issue, I’d like to briefly share with you how I’ve learned to have world peace during this unsettling time.
Do you want joy & world peace?
Although we don’t have world peace as most think of it yet, I do have a vision of it. The world we each live in, is the world between our ears…our mind. So, we can have joy and peace of mind despite what is going on around us or even in us. If each of us had this peace, it would be a more peaceful world.
Don’t we all want love, joy, peace, hope, happiness and more good things? Not pain, fear or worry?
I haven’t always lived up to my name, even when I worked to have joy. I have fought for my joy and even earned a nickname, Joyful.
Here’s how you too can have joy and world peace.
Two of the most meaningful lessons I have learned that have allowed me to have the joy I yearned for are:
First, learn the importance of living in the now.
Many of us have memories, some good, some not so good; some we don’t even clearly remember. We often spend too much time thinking on these. It’s not the now.
Worry and fear and expectations have to do with ‘living in the future.’ The future is not now. There’s really nothing one can do about what may or may not happen. Mark Twain said, ‘I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.’
What we do have is now, this moment and this moment only. It is sometimes called the present or a gift.
Second, learn, I am not my thoughts, and along with this, not all of my thoughts tell me the truth
We have a choice of the thoughts we’ll believe in. We don’t have to accept thoughts that make us worry or fearful, but we can accept thoughts, that tell us “we didn’t blow it, not to worry, there’s nothing to fear”, and to accept positive and forgiving thoughts about ourselves.
These two lessons have helped me fight for joy and win.
You too can decide daily not to let anyone, any thought, or anything rob you of your joy today.
Please, think on these words.
Remember, you have a choice.
Choose joy in this moment.
I wish you a life enjoying the moments.
In issues to come, we plan to touch on topics including ways for you to be as healthy as possible, and address topics related to your body, mind and spirit. We understand each person is unique, but if you have a topic you’d like us to discuss, please address your questions to: askjoywestvillage@gmail.com
About the author: I always knew I was to have a loud voice when it comes to health. I am Joy Pape, board certified as a nurse practitioner, diabetes care and education specialist, and foot care nurse. I practice at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian, as well as with Dr. Rock Positano DPM, MSc, MPH, DSc, Founder and Director of the Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service and the Joe DiMaggio Heel and Pain Center at The Hospital of Special Services. I also have a private practice located in the West Village.
