What is Mindfulness
Mindfulness. It’s pretty straight forward if you think about it. It suggests that the mind is paying attention to what’s happening. Think of what it means to “be mindful of the hot mug on the table”. That means to pay attention to the space around you. Then, the mind begins thinking other thoughts and you lose that awareness, to the point where you’re so engrossed in your thoughts that you can begin obsessing or worrying about the future. And that makes some people feel pretty anxious.
Mindfulness is to be present in your thoughts and the moment. It’s a process of learning how to access this moment of presence. Mindfulness means paying attention “on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4). In other words, to be mindful is to pay close attention to your present moment. Mindfulness is a practice, and an attitude that anybody can learn quickly. It can change your relationship to the world around you.
Mindfulness And Baking
Using the power of baking and cooking, as mindfulness activities, are excellent ways to practice mindfulness…as I’ve seen many people do throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. The fact is, baking and cooking are relatively easy activities that you can do on your own, or with others. I grew up in a small town with not very many bakeries or restaurants. If I wanted to indulge in fine cuisine or baked goods, we had to drive an hour and half east to the beautiful city of Montreal.
From a young age my mom baked my birthday cakes, and I had the luxury of watching my mom do a little bit of fancy piping work…nothing I ever got the guts to attempt myself. My mom even took baking courses. Experiencing this creativity in the kitchen fueled my natural interest to be more hands-on with my daughter.
Today, baking and cooking give me free time to retreat into my own mental space. I find that I can retreat without the obligation to say a word. I enjoy the simple moments.
Food As Passion
I continue to pursue my passion for food by teaching my clients the art of mindfulness and mindful eating (see Facebook Live on Sunday, July 14th). I started my blog, in 2016, as a personal project during the beginning phase of my entrepreneurial journey. I wanted to help people become more aware of the power of their minds. The mind can used as a tool to become more healthy, and reach their true potential. I wanted to help people achieve peak states of emotional performance. Most of all, I’ve enjoyed watching people evolve in their own identity as mindful beings.
Satori Radio went from a few episodes every other week to its own project. Today’s version of that 1-1 program has morphed into a digital 6-module version, called The Pro-Mind Experience. I went from drafting an outline, then writing and recording lessons, to having a burning desire to grow The Mindful Clinician community.
All of this creativity was sparked through those quiet moments of baking and mindfulness.
Of course, I love teaching all the benefits of everyday mindfulness, along with strategies for living a healthy lifestyle, with improved self-care and wellness. These are my passions! So teaching them through video seemed like the next step for me, because I could reach a larger audience. But all of these goals wouldn’t have come to fruition without many hours of meditation and contemplation.
Finding Time For Contemplation
I baked to create moments of mindfulness and contemplation.
When I bake, I find solace in my actions. I can even do this with my daughter, and yes, I can still contemplate and create goals while being with her. I can use the power of visualization at the same time as well, because I’ve trained my mind to be in the moment. And while I’m in the moment of baking, and enjoying the sensation of cookie dough on my hands, and chatting with my bright and charming 8-year old, I am growing.
What do you do to find time for yourself and contemplate?
Are you ready to reinvent yourself into a new version of you? If so, download my FREE Workbook here.
Relevant Podcast Episodes:
Episode 14 – Top 5 Myths of Meditation
Episode 21 – 3 Ways To Build A Healthy Routine (cheatsheet available below)
Episode 22 – Deconstructing Routines & Changing Daily Habits
Episode 33 – 5 Interesting Facts About Meditation
Blog Post – The Importance Of Employee Health & Wellness Programs
Blog Post– The Benefits of Everyday Mindfulness
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