Week 4: Be Mindful of the World Around You

Here is another great mindfulness activity for you to try.

Practicing mindful eating is great way to experience food.

One way to think of mindful eating is to imagine that you are a scientist examining your food for the first time. Mindful eating is an experience that uses all of the five senses. Remember to: look, smell, taste, touch, and listen to your food.

Here’s how to try the exercise. You can use a raisin, a piece of chocolate, or even an entire meal for mindful eating.

• Start by looking at what you are planning to eat. What do you see?

• Now, smell the food carefully. What do you notice?

• Do you notice any sounds? If you’re eating something like a raisin, try holding it close to your ear as you squeeze it gently. Or if you’re unwrapping a chocolate, listen to the crinkles of the wrapper as you unfold it.

• What do you feel with your fingers? Is the food warm or cold? Is it smooth, rough, or sticky?

• Now, put the piece of food on your tongue, but don’t chew on it yet. Just leave it on your tongue and notice how it feels in your mouth. Do you taste anything yet? What activity do you notice in your mouth?

• Start chewing it, very slowly, just one bite at a time. Notice how the tastes change as you chew.

• Try to notice when you swallow, and see how far you can feel the food into your body.