This has been a very successful week for me. I achieved my goal of eating a raw breakfast (a home-made fruit smoothie with almond milk) every day this week for breakfast, and have noticed a host of results:

1. I’m not tired. On the weekends I open the gym, and have to be there at 7:45am. Usually I pick up a medium dark roast coffee from Starbucks on my way to work, but today and yesterday I didn’t feel the need. I packed an herbal peppermint tea teabag in my purse to brew once at work (because I enjoy sipping on a hot beverage at work), and I felt awake and alert throughout the entire day. Bored, but alert.
2. No hunger pains. When I would wait too long between meals, I used to experience a starving sensation where I would feel weak and desperate for food. Although the smoothie is a light breakfast, I notice that this week I begin to get hungry much more gradually, versus all at once.
3. More energy. Theatre games can be exhausting, and I was definitely feeling the wear and tear on my body. My P90X workouts, combined with the spin class, combined with the morning warm-ups were having an effect on my body. Starting my day off with something light, and having something slightly heavier (usually apples and peanut butter – my FAVORITE SNACK), helped me to control my energy levels, which also helps to keep me in the present.

The first two days of this challenge, I tried to cut coffee out completely. That didn’t work because I was going to bed too late, and I felt that I needed a little bit of caffeine to stimulate my brain into a waking state. Wednesday I ordered a medium coffee from McDonalds (I know, I know), but actually had a hard time finishing it. The following two days I ordered a small coffee, and found that even that was a little bit too much. All I really craved was a sip. Then for the last two days I haven’t needed any coffee at all.

I realize now that I tried to eliminate coffee from my diet too abruptly. All I really needed to do was slowly wean it down to a smaller amount, and now perhaps a nice warm cup of herbal peppermint tea will be enough to start my day.

I also completed the challenge of putting my fork down when chewing my food. How did you all do? I found this surprisingly difficult. Although I was concentrating on the task at hand, I found myself continuously slipping. I was brought up in a home of fast eaters, and it almost felt unnatural to put the fork down as I chewed my food. I felt like I was wasting time or something. It certainly took me longer to consume my meals, but I also enjoyed and appreciated them a lot more. I’m going to continue with this exercise. Mastering this eating habit can only benefit you.

The act of eating is one of many tasks that should be used in your mindfulness practice. I think mindfulness, diet, and exercise are factors that combined how led to my improved state of being.

Here’s an exercise in mindfulness from the book “The Mindful Way through Anxiety.” The book features a variety of mindfulness exercises (from being mindful of your physical body, to the way you move, to your senses, to your emotions). The exercise on being mindful of your breath is one that I believe to be essential in order for the others to work:

The Mindfulness of Breath Exercise

(tape these instructions to yourself, so that you can follow along with your eyes closed)

1. Close your eyes or allow your gaze to rest softly on a spot on the floor in front of you.
2. Notice where you feel the breath if your body and allow your attention to rest in this spot. It may be in your body, the back of your throat, or your nostrils.
3. Keep your focus on your breath, “being with” each breath for its full duration and with each out breath for its full duration. Imagine you are riding the waves of your own breathing.
4. Each time you notice your mind has wandered off the breath, gently bring your attention back to the place you feel your breath and the feeling of each in breath and out breath.
5. Each time your mind wanders, all you need to do is gently bring it back to your breath, again and again and again.
6. If you notice thoughts that you aren’t doing this right or aren’t good at it, just notice them and again gently bring your attention back to your breath, again and again. These are just thoughts; they don’t mean you aren’t doing it right.

Try concentrating on nothing but your breathing for 5 minutes starting out, then increase it to 10 or 15 minutes as you get better and better. I believe that developing mindfulness is like developing a muscle. It takes practice and persistence, but the reward is oh so sweet.

For more exercises on mindfulness, check out The Mindful Way through Anxiety: Break Free from Chronic Worry and Reclaim Your Life. There are a lot of treasures in this book, and I highly recommend it. Mindfulness is the key to a fulfilling life, and practice will teach you so much about who you are.