Mindful Rewrites - All There Is, Is Now

Author E.M. Forster wrote in A Room With A View in 1908.

"We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand, and it is no good moving from place to place to save things; because the shadow always follows. Choose a place where you won't do harm - yes, choose a place where you won't do very much harm, and stand in it for all you are worth, facing the sunshine." 

Because our mind is malleable in childhood, stories about the nature of reality, based on the perceptions of those around us, stick with us. Beliefs that no longer make sense abound. For example, my ancestors are Scottish and lived through the potato famine. Later generations became farmers and were victims of droughts and pests that limited their food supply. I grew up eating fried foods, vegetables prepared with bacon grease, and sweet tea as sugary as syrup. My prevalent unconscious thought was that these foods were precious and the more the better. It was challenging to become conscious of the messages that I received about food and to learn to make healthier choices.

Mindful Rewrite

I used the AND approach to food choices:

AWARENESS of the unhealthy messages I believed about food.

NOTICING how I felt when I overate by scanning my body and remaining conscious.

DECIDING consciously to develop different habits.

Practice

When you have a behavior that is destructive in your life, step back and ask yourself what you believe and explore when you first learned the behavior. Hold that awareness without judgment--our brain is always trying to protect us, so you learned behaviors for a reason. Just notice…be aware and notice without judgment…allow yourself to picture yourself standing in the sunshine of peace and health. Picture how you will look and feel as your Best Self…choosing light…choosing well-being…choosing life….