Day 2- Andrea

During these two days, I have been trying two tips to eat mindfully. I discovered that when I eat more slowly, and I try to be present in the moment, the food tastes different. While having my coffee this morning, I thought that it tasted better than other days. Was it because I was paying extra attention to the smell before drinking it? Was it because I was feeling the temperature with my hands before I brought the mug to my mouth?

At breakfast I did the same ritual as yesterday, and I ate at a slower speed. It went pretty well!

I like the idea of focusing on one skill at the time. It just reminds me of when I am teaching at the Montessori school. We believe that it is hard for children to concentrate on both our movements and on our words when teaching a lesson. So, if I am demonstrating some work with my hands, mostly, I do it without speaking. If I want to explain something about the lesson, then I keep my hands still so children can focus on my words. I thought about this as I was trying to be present while eating. When my husband was talking to me, it was hard to eat and think about the look of the food, the texture, flavors, smell, etc. I had a moment of realization that if I want to be mindful while eating; I need to focus on it without distraction.  I need to be present!

Today again, I had classes at the university. During snack time it happened the same way. I was trying to eat and be in the moment, but also with my classmates. Unfortunately, it didn’t work very well for me.  I guess I need to learn how to balance both things. I think practice is the key, just like many other skills we learn.