A Different Twist on Self-Care

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"Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you're eating, and savour every bite."

~ Susan Albert

The words "Self-Care" are huge right now. We hear it everywhere, and for good reason: this is crucial (especially as we age) for living an authentic life. When hearing those words, we jump on the bandwagon of body health, but there is much more than just the body needing self-care. Remember, our minds, hearts, and emotions intertwine and react to how the body is cared for.

For instance, what if we watched or listened to the news about the world's difficulties while exercising or eating a nutritious meal?

Or...

When we are enjoying a meal with friends, and our conversations move to those we know who are in pain or dying?

It brings sadness, frustration, and sometimes even anger about situations we can do nothing about.

How does the food on our plates look, then? Do we even see or taste it?

Here's an example:

My husband and I sat down a few weeks ago to enjoy our homemade pizza ritual. Before eating, a conversation started about an ongoing issue we debated. It became heated, and by the time we stopped, the pizza was cold, and we both pushed our plates away. When we went to bed, my stomach was hungry, but the appetite from the heart and mind had no interest. I wasn't going to 'eat' just to 'eat'. The tossing and turning during sleep resulted from the body being out of alignment and agitated, like writing an important sentence with no period. We agreed to a truce for the time being.

In the morning, we woke up to the birds outside. I thought about this new day and sighed a breath of release.

After mediation, with a hot cuppa of joy in hand, we both revisited our debate. The space given to listen to each other allowed the issue to be resolved, and we cleared the air. Only then did I pay attention to my stomach's rumbling; this time, even though it was early in the morning when I looked at the pizza in the fridge, it looked delicious.

When we eat in joy, the body receives joy, the magic happens, and the body works.

In those weighted-down moments, does the food we eat or the exercise we do honestly benefit our bodies?

Does it enrich the cells and bring down blood pressure?

Do we feel rejuvenated and refreshed when we’ve step off the treadmill, come in from a walk, or leave the meal table?

Or does the heaviness of what we've seen, heard, or discussed deplete the stamina we've worked hard to achieve and nourish?

I have found that the answer is a solid Yes!

I am not saying we shouldn’t talk about these topics or listen to the news. They, too, are essential because they bring us awareness. It also gives us opportunities to help console, uplift, and provide one of the most precious gifts we can offer one another: listening— especially when we need to release, vent, feel heard, and cared about.

There are other times to watch the news, console one another, and discuss complex issues, but eating a meal or working out to fuel our bodies in whatever way gives them nutrition is not the time.🦋

Thought to ponder:

 As Summer turns into Fall and we prepare for family and friends to gather together, this is an excellent time to experiment with how this kind of self-care can change our health, attitudes, and sleeping patterns.

 Ask yourself what a difference it would make on your mind, heart, and emotions if you focused on one meal at a time or one workout at a time, just for today.

Taken by the author in Taormina, Sicily