We’re living in anxious times.
Repeatedly, our bodies are flooded with fears, traumas, and catastrophic events.
Desperate for relief, we reach, even grab for anything that can relieve the painful vibrations in our bodies.
Yet clearly, food was never intended to relieve anxiety, fear, and pain, right?
But we don’t know what else to do? We can’t see any other options.
We’ve found something that works, well sort of, and so we keep doing it.
Before long, we’ve repeated the behavior enough to where it’s become a habit.
Feel anxious or afraid? Eat . . . and eat a lot!
This was totally me…and perhaps it’s you too.
It wasn’t until I discovered the root cause of my anxiety and solved the problem that I started feeling less anxious and also stopped reaching for food to calm my nerves.
I learned that anxiety is not a bad thing, that there’s nothing wrong with feeling anxious, and that there are other, more beneficial and effective ways to ease anxiety when I feel it.
One solution that I discovered and use daily is mindfulness.
It’s been the best, most effective solution and relief ever.
But it wasn’t a practice that came easily to me.
Like you, I thought mindfulness was dumb and something that could never quiet my busy mind or calm my anxious body.
Well, I was wrong.
Out of all the remedies and strategies recommended, and that I’ve studied and experimented with, mindfulness is by far the simplest, most practical and economical, and effective.
Do I still feel anxious?
Sure I do.
Anxiety’s a common, normal emotion.
But I don’t feel near as anxious as I used to and when I do, I know how to feel anxiety and respond to it confidently, along with all uncomfortable emotions.
And the best part?
How I respond to anxiety doesn’t involve food, or any substance or behavior.
“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
— Amit Ray
My favorite mindfulness practice is my morning meditation using Calm.
I enjoy Tamara’s voice and her 10-minute Daily Calm sessions start my day with a relaxing meditation and inspiring message.
It’s free to try; however, don’t let the investment scare you off…I trust you spend a lot more on stuff that doesn’t help you feel better.
Of course, there are a variety of mindfulness practices available; the Internet is loaded with them.
Likewise, they all do not involve sitting in lotus pose or lying down.
You can practice mindfulness when exercising, eating, taking a shower or brushing your teeth.
Activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, chanting, and prayer are also mindfulness practices.
Simply, they transport us into the present moment and out of our past and future, which are often the greatest source of our fear, stress, and anxiety.
The key is to find mindfulness practices that you enjoy and practice them consistently.
I recommend daily.
Think of them as daily mental hygiene, if that helps you realize their importance.
Practicing mindfulness regularly changes our brain, decreases stress and anxiety, and lowers the risk of many common health problems.
Mindfulness practices calm your nervous system while also helping you discover that there’s no need to fear your emotions and that you can feel them fully without needing food or anything else to cope.
As your ability to feel all your feelings grows, including anxiety, food can return to its natural role, and you can feel a whole lot less anxious and live well.