Mindful eating is an essential element of getting fit and losing weight, and the notion of mindful eating is part of a larger pattern of mindful living. Guest blogger Robin Mallery, RN, founder of HeartMatters, shares her insight with us on this subject:
“Life is hectic! Our days are filled with family commitments, professional obligations, activities (hopefully, exercise fits in here), shopping, cooking, driving to and fro—our days are busy. Many of us live in a “hurry up and get it done” mode—either multitasking or, while in the midst of completing one task, already thinking about what is next on the to-do list.
When did we buy into this mode of existence—accomplishing as much in one day as humanly possible? Don’t get me wrong; efficiency and effectiveness are important to our personal and business success. But what is the price we pay for life in the fast lane? This ramped-up performance expectation that has become the norm carries a price.
In our rush toward completion, the richness of each experience becomes diluted, leading to a loss of depth and sensory awareness. A superficiality is attached that minimizes the events value and contribution to our quality of life. Regardless of how ordinary or extraordinary the task may be, our connection to the experience is diminished. But mindfulness allows us to fully engage in the depth and detail of the event or task, however mundane it may seem to be.
The hurry-up mode contributes to our perceived stressors and the consequent health compromise that results from stress. We all experience this chronic, low-level, daily stress—from our personal and professional obligations, traffic, phone calls and errands, just to name a few triggers—which causes a cascade of physical changes that ramp up the brain and diminish our decision-making ability. Add an acute stress event, such as an unmet deadline, harsh words with your teenager or a near fender bender, and you’ve got a full-bodied stress reaction.
Being mindful simply means being present in the moment. It means giving yourself permission to focus on what is happening right now and staying with that focus until the experience is complete. Living in mindfulness does not necessarily mean that you will accomplish less throughout the day, but it does mean that each day will be filled with rich detail, that you will be more relaxed and that your physical and emotional health will be enhanced.”
A note about our guest blogger: Robin Mallery, RN, is the founder of HeartMatters, a behavior-change health-management program for busy people. Robin works with her clients to achieve their health vision by incorporating small-step daily goals that lead to pleasant and sustainable health behaviors. Learn more at www.heartmatters.pro.
I have been using mindfulness more in my daily life, and there are times when I find even the most mundane tasks fulfilling, as I'm in the moment with the task, not thinking about the future or the past. Thanks for the post.
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