Cues

The really hard thing about trying to become more mindful, is that you have to remember to do it.  Sounds stupid but true.

Gretchin at the Happiness Project did a nice video blog yesterday on the subject of creating cues to help you remember the mindfulness you want to cultivate.

So...how are you remembering to be more mindful when you eat?

One way is to only eat sitting down.  It isn't that sitting down is inherently better -- it is just that if that is what you, you will be paying more attention to eating because you are aware you're eating in the first place.

Another way is to make sure you are journaling everything that is going into your mouth AS SOON AS YOU GET DONE EATING IT.  Again, this just creates more awareness that you are eating -- and then holds you accountable to remember what it is you ate.

And yet another cue might be to put a rubberband around your fork/spoon.  Something that changes the way your utensil feels might be enough to remind you that you are trying to be more mindful.

Post-it notes on the placemate, plating the food in the kitchen -- are they small ways to change your eating environment to let it support your goal of mindfulness?