Days 3 and 4
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 2:50 am
Yesterday and today I was finding it difficult to remain present while eating and chewing the food 40+ times per bite. I wanted to mentally "fast-forward" to the end of the eating. (This is in contrast to the previous 2 days, where I was able to be present for a majority of the time while chewing). I looked into it and found 2 things. The first was that I didn't want to be responsible, or at cause for the results I would achieve, whether they were good or bad. There was a reluctance to be with myself and uncover some potentially unpleasant truths about myself. The second was that I wanted a potential excuse, an escape, if something didn't turn out well. I looked and saw that I had given away my power, I was letting some "potential bad outcome" or "excuse of why I didn't do something" have power over me. So this afternoon I took a walk outside and was able to achieve somewhat of a "reset".
Despite the attitude(s) that I had, during meals I continued to chew the food until it was liquid before swallowing. I had a little more difficulty with remembering to chew water and liquids, but I was able to catch myself and then chewed the next sip of water. During drinking water I definitely slowed down a lot compared to what I used to do, and gave myself more time to consume liquids. I remembered the "who" that I had written about previously, and held on to my commitment to continue with this 5-day challenge even though I was facing some internal conflicts.
Possibilities- These are what I came up with: having boundless energy, radiating inner joy and peace, living with an abundance and growth mindset, and being a self-aware and conscious main character in one's own life story.
Opportunities- I think that there is a benefit to bringing "being present" to my personal and work relationships, and that in conversations I can listen better and be more interested in what the other person is saying. When I am not rushing, I can take the time to show that I care about them and their wants, needs, and concerns. Another opportunity is that I can be more present and more "the boss" with how I spend and save time and money, so that I can choose higher value actions and items, and not spend time and money on things that are of low importance and low value. In addition, I can prevent recurring health issues such as digestive troubles by chewing thoroughly and being present. Furthermore, when I slow down and stop rushing, I can check in with myself and how I am feeling, and also pay attention to the attitudes I have, so I can more quickly recognize them and, if I want to, potentially turn them around (this requires some practice). Eating and drinking in this way is such a simple change, but it can be the starting point of a pathway to success. I can commit to "drinking my food and chewing my water" in at least 10-day time periods, or even longer. Having good health, happiness and peace of mind is extremely valuable, to me it is worth more than what money can buy.
Despite the attitude(s) that I had, during meals I continued to chew the food until it was liquid before swallowing. I had a little more difficulty with remembering to chew water and liquids, but I was able to catch myself and then chewed the next sip of water. During drinking water I definitely slowed down a lot compared to what I used to do, and gave myself more time to consume liquids. I remembered the "who" that I had written about previously, and held on to my commitment to continue with this 5-day challenge even though I was facing some internal conflicts.
Possibilities- These are what I came up with: having boundless energy, radiating inner joy and peace, living with an abundance and growth mindset, and being a self-aware and conscious main character in one's own life story.
Opportunities- I think that there is a benefit to bringing "being present" to my personal and work relationships, and that in conversations I can listen better and be more interested in what the other person is saying. When I am not rushing, I can take the time to show that I care about them and their wants, needs, and concerns. Another opportunity is that I can be more present and more "the boss" with how I spend and save time and money, so that I can choose higher value actions and items, and not spend time and money on things that are of low importance and low value. In addition, I can prevent recurring health issues such as digestive troubles by chewing thoroughly and being present. Furthermore, when I slow down and stop rushing, I can check in with myself and how I am feeling, and also pay attention to the attitudes I have, so I can more quickly recognize them and, if I want to, potentially turn them around (this requires some practice). Eating and drinking in this way is such a simple change, but it can be the starting point of a pathway to success. I can commit to "drinking my food and chewing my water" in at least 10-day time periods, or even longer. Having good health, happiness and peace of mind is extremely valuable, to me it is worth more than what money can buy.