International Day of Happiness is a day to celebrate the joy and happiness that we all strive for in our lives. There are two practices out there that I believe are key to cultivating a happier and more joyful life: Mindful Eating and Self-Compassion. In this article, I’ll share how mindful eating and self-compassion can work together to create a powerful combination for a Joyful Life
First of all, let’s talk about mindfulness in general.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a buzz word these days and is used in psychotherapy and other modalities to encourage people to be more peaceful. I often tell my clients that striving for a peaceful state is more attainable than striving for happiness. Happiness can evolve organically from a peaceful contented state.
Mindfulness is being in the present moment with whatever you are doing. You can be emptying the dishwasher, looking out your window, having a conversation, etc. Being in the present moment is a practice that takes time and effort for most people.
In future blogs. I will speak specifically about this practice and how to achieve it. Nowadays, you can learn this through many resources.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful Eating is the practice of bringing our full attention to the experience of eating. It involves slowing down, tuning in to our physical and emotional sensations, and savoring the taste, texture and aroma of our food.
When we eat mindfully, we become more aware of our body’s hunger and fullness cues, and we’re more likely to make choices that support our health and well-being.
What is self-compassion?
Self-compassion is the practice of treating ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially when we’re facing difficult emotions or challenges. It involves acknowledging that we’re human and imperfect, and that it’s okay to struggle and make mistakes.
Self-compassion means offering ourselves the same warmth and support that we would offer to a close friend or loved one, rather than being self-critical or judgmental. It’s about cultivating a sense of inner kindness and acceptance, even in the face of the difficult circumstances or negative self-talk.
Sometimes self-compassion can come in a different form. Dr. Kristen Neff calls it Fierce Self-Compassion and Dr. Tara Brach wrote a book called ‘Radical Acceptance’. These forms of self-compassion come as a form of good parenting to ourselves. It is not just about warmth, caring and affection but sometimes it calls for confrontation, limit setting on ourselves and others, changes in our behavior, etc.
How Self-Compassion Supports Mindful Eating
When we practice self-compassion, we’re more likely to be patient with ourselves, forgive ourselves for mistakes and approach challenges with a growth mindset.
Many of us have “something” around our food. That something can be a complicated relationship with food, a history of eating disorders, an ongoing eternal cycle of dieting, you name it, we’ve been there. That “something” can lead to guilt, shame, and self-criticism. We may judge ourselves for eating “bad” foods or feel like we’re not eating “clean” enough. But the truth is, when it comes to food, there’s no cookie cutter approach that fits the needs of every single human being on the planet.
When we practice self-compassion, we can recognize these negative thoughts and emotions without judgment. We can acknowledge that eating is a complex experience that involves not just our physical hunger, but also our emotional needs. We can approach food with curiosity and kindness, rather than judgment and criticism.
How Mindful Eating Supports Self-Compassion
Mindful Eating can also support self-compassion by helping us tune in to our emotions and needs. When we eat mindfully, we can notice how different foods make us feel both physically and emotionally. We can observe our cravings and urges without judgment and recognize that they’re a normal part of the eating experience.
By tuning in to our emotions and needs, we can practice self-compassion in other areas of our lives. We can recognize when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed and offer ourselves kindness and support, rather than berating ourselves for not being “strong enough”. We can also tune in to our physical needs, like rest and movement, and offer ourselves the care we need to feel our best.
When we learn to eat when we are hungry physically and stop when we are satisfied, our world can change. When we eat for other reasons, then we know that something else is going on with us. This is where the gateway to ourselves can be opened.
As we grow older, it is good to get to know ourselves better. That opening can be glorious, sometimes painful but wonderful all at the same time.
Bringing it All Together
Mindful Eating and Self-Compassion are both powerful practices that can help us cultivate a happier and more joyful life. When we practice Mindful Eating, we can tune in to our physical and emotional sensations and make choices that support our health and well-being. When we practice self-compassion, we can approach food and our bodies with kindness and acceptance, rather than judgment and criticism.
By combining these two practices we can create a powerful synergy that supports us in all areas of our lives. We can tune in to our emotions and needs, offer ourselves kindness and support, and make choices that nourish our bodies and souls.
As we celebrate International Day of Happiness, let’s remember that happiness starts from within and that mindfulness practice, mindful eating and self-compassion are some of the most powerful tools we have to cultivate joy in our lives.
