I know Thursdays are traditionally “Thoughtful” Thursdays around the blogosphere, but today I’m shifting gears a little and calling it Mindful Thursday.
You see, it has to do with the most delicious cookie ever that I happened to eat last week. Allow me to explain…
Back in January, I laid out my Fertile Living Intentions for the year. January’s challenge was pretty simple: eat breakfast every day. February’s started out with the best of intentions (boink my husband daily) but because I got sloppy with my birth control, I had a period for 15 days, knocking that right out. So I shifted it to going to the gym 5 days a week. That didn’t really stick either, because I got a bad cold in the middle of the month. I did manage to go at least once a week during the month.
March’s challenge was to practice mindfulness every day. So far, so good. But what does that even mean? Let me explain via the most delicious cookie ever.
Seriously, Don’t Practice Mindfulness & Drive
Dr. Ali Domar talks a lot about mindfulness in her book, Conquering Infertility. On page 51, Dr. Domar defines mindfulness very simply as thus:
Being mindful means appreciating the here and now… taking steps to be fully present in her own life.
She then spends the next few pages discussing how you can practice a mindful activity in your own life.
Right, so back to this cookie I was telling you about, the most delicious cookie ever.
I was driving in to a meeting last Thursday and was running late. It had been a hectic morning and I had skipped breakfast. I was cranky and ravenous and on my way out of the kitchen, I grabbed an oatmeal raisin cookie from the counter. I was pretty hungry, so I grabbed a second one. In the span of grabbing that second cookie, running down a flight of steps and buckling into the driver’s seat, I immediately regretted my decision to have cookies for brunch.
I drove all the way to the highway before I picked up the first cookie. I put it to my lips and had a stroke of brilliance: why not eat the cookie in a mindful manner while I drive? Make it last longer, taste better?
So before I even took a bite, as I casually merged into traffic, I inhaled deeply, smelling the sugar and oatmeal and raisins. It was heavenly. These were just regular store-bought cookies, nothing fancy. It took me twenty minutes to eat that single cookie. With each bite, I focused on something different: the grainy, chewy texture, the taste of butter, the aroma of the raisins, the way the raisins gave between my teeth.
In one bite, I focused on only tasting the vanilla. In another, I focused on pinpointing the taste of oatmeal with my tongue.
And at one point, I was so damn wrapped up in this cookie that I realized I was drifting into the lane next to me. So, pro-tip: don’t be mindful and drive!
I made it all the way to my meeting, did my work and got back into my car a few hours later. I was surprised to see the other cookie sitting on my passenger seat. I had made the experience of eating the first one so memorable, I had forgotten I had even brought a second one with me. By this time, I had already had lunch and I was stuffed, so I didn’t even feel the need to eat the second one on the drive home.
Weirdly, being mindful about a single cookie helped me make a better nutritional choice for myself.
Launch Giveaway: Thursday
The Goods
Speaking of mindfulness, Circle+Bloom has generously donated TWO mind/body audio programs to one lucky winner. The winner will receive mp3’s of Happy Mind, Healthy Body and Energy for Empowerment, a $48 total value! I cannot speak highly enough of Energy for Empowerment – I’ve used the Sleep section more times than I can count to help me get a good night’s sleep.
Bonus: During the month of March, enter code RNE15 to get 15% of your total purchase from Circle+Bloom and 20% of your purchase will benefit RESOLVE New England! Hooray for spreading a little good karma.
Deadline & Notification
Today’s Giveaway ends at 12:01am EST (US) on Monday, March 12, 2012. The winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter’s magical random selection tool and be notified via email within 48 hours of the contest’s end. Good luck!
(PS… don’t forget there are giveaways happening every day this week. You can see them all here and tomorrow’s giveaway will be live at 8am.)
Enter Now!
Every day this month, I’m practicing mindfulness – whether it’s a quick yoga pose or savoring the food I put into my body. (PS – mindful sex? Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.)
Here’s your Mindful Thursday question: what do you savor in your life?
Lovely post 🙂 I am hoping to become more mindful on this upcoming vacation. Computers are actually frowned upon in the resort! So I’m not going to have a choice but to read and take things slower. I hope to come back much lighter in mind (and maybe body too!) 🙂
I am really loving this site. It’s like a thoughtful oasis. Great job 🙂
Thanks so much! This week got a little deep, I think in part b/c of all the giveaways. I have lots of personal journey news to update over the coming weeks that I can’t wait to share here!
And have fun on your upcoming vacation! Resort = beach side location I presume? Reading on the beach is. The. BEST.
Love this. 🙂 But of course … you knew I would. I had someone recommend this to me with a raisin, once. Maybe I blogged about it? I don’t know. But I don’t think I could make a cookie last that long. 😉
What do I savor? Just yesterday, I was savoring breathing. The taste of the air that was almost like spring. I realized that I was breathing more deeply than usual. I touched the bottom of my lungs with air. It was awesome.
Just reading that sentence made me inhale deeply and really taste and smell the air. It wasn’t until I took yoga that I realized just how much we take something like breathing for granted!
Also, your comment and this post made me think… do you have an awesome oatmeal cookie raisin recipe on your blog? I keep meaning to make them – they’re my favorite cookie and yet I’ve never made them from scratch!
Hi Keiko! I just stumbled on to your blog for the first time. It is so refreshing to read such positive, forward-thinking articles. I am so grateful that you have made a place on the internet where women who are struggling with infertility can feel safe from judgement. Thanks!
What a great idea to just be kind to yourself and have a cookie! You’re awesome. 🙂
Welcome Mel! I’m glad you found the place 🙂 Thank you for your kind words and yes indeed, The Infertility Voice is meant to be a safe space for anyone at any stage of their infertility journey.
I find myself so wrapped up in everyday nonsense all too frequently. My husband and I made an agreement recently to turn of the T.V. to be more mindful of our time together in the evenings. It has allowed us to be more focused on our conversations and connection rather than give in to the easier distraction of television.
Meredith, that’s some wonderful advice! We actually don’t have a TV in our bedroom and some nights, I have to do a little arm twisting not to watch TV in bed on the iPad 🙂
Honestly, I find it easier to be mindful in the spring. Winter is the lowest time of my year. So today I woke up, it was beautiful outside and it felt like spring. I spent my entire drive to work with the window down enjoying the feel of the sun and the warmer than normal air blowing through my hair. Then I got a tea and I savored every sip of that tea. So your post today just happened to show up on the same day I was practicing the topic at hand. It’s a wonderful feeling that I aim to feel more of during the winter months 🙂
That sounds wonderful, Kimberly. When I used to commute to work, I took a route that took me by sea marshes. No matter how cold it was, I would roll down my window just to smell and taste that briny air.