Kaizen Wednesday: Mindful Eating

My plate, empty now

Will soon be filled with precious food.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

It's a new month, and so it's time to move on to a new kaizen category.  This month we will be looking at mindful eating and encouraging good food choices for nourishing our bodys and minds.  Kaizen 改善 is the Japanese term for continuous growth or improvement.  Each week of the month, as we reflect on the impulses behind our negative food habits,  we will be encouraged to take one small step towards more balanced living.

As our lives become more and more harried, we become less and less conscious about our relationship to the foods we eat.  The plethora of convenient food choices makes simply daily food preparation with simple ingredients an increasinly rare experience.  We eat quickly, distracted by other activities, with food as one task among multi.  Meals offer fewer opportunities for fellowship. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, radical diets that promise "get thin/beautiful/strong quick" are adopted as doctrine, the focus being food as a key to our ego.  Here we lose the holistic presence of food in our lives, with the result often being that our negative cravings holding that much more power over ourselves.

In her book Freedom in Your Relationship with Food:  An Everyday Guide,  Myra Lewin states that "when eating and self-care become habitual and unconscious, the result is a feeling of emptiness and disconnection." (p.5)  Our first step in regaining a healthy relationship with food then is to begin to examine why we eat, what draws us to certain foods and habits of preparation, and to become conscious of our relationship to food.

This week, I encourage you to take one single step towards a deeper connection with your food.  If you never cook at home, cook a single meal.  If you cook all the time, simplify the ingredient you use, choosing less processed foods.  If you eat in front of the television, eat a meal or two without the extraneous stimulation of television or background music.  As you eat be mindful of the nourishment that is being provided.

Check out these activities at Sacred Arts Studio:

Healing Art Challenge: Delight

February Movie Club: World's Fastest Indian

February Book Club: Belong to Me

Kaizen Wednesday: Wait the Worth

Each month of the year we are taking a single life growth area, and encouraging readers to break it down into a simple, attainable goal for the week.  Using the Japanese concept of kaizen 改善, continued improvement, the hope is that trying out small steps will encourage bigger life change.  This month, our kaizen concept is financial stability.  For ideas on steps you can take each week this month please read last week's post here.

This is a ring I have wanted for years.  I abosolutely adore it.  I love nature, I love the artistry, and I love the symbolism of the four seasons.  And although I could think of a number of reasons why I really deserved this ring - I work hard, why I could have this ring - it's moderately priced, and why I should have this ring- the inspiration it could provide,  I did not buy it.  For some reason, I just felt like if I bought it, if I gave it to myself right away, it would get lost in all the other meaningless little things I spend money on.  I really wanted to wait the worth of it out.

Until now.  I was blessed to choose a Christmas gift from my husband, and something told me this is the time!  So now on my right index finger, I have this little ring, as a reminder in all I do...

There is a time for everything

and a season for every purpose under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

And right next to that ring, on my middle finger I have a butterfly.. to remind me that true growth and change comes in the right time, and is definitely worth the wait...



January Kaizen: Financial Stability

Kaizen 改善:  Japanese term for continuous improvement and change for the better.


Okay, so here's the idea.  Break our goals for the year up into 12 different areas for life growth.  For each of those months, come up with one action per week.  Some actions will stick, other's won't.  But in the end, we will be continuously improving, and in a much better place that we started.

This month we are looking at finances.  What is one action you can do each week that is a step towards better financial stability.  Here are a few thoughts:

1.  Cut out the daily wallet drains.  Look at the following expenses.  Which one makes a big impact on your pocketbook.  Commit to not spending on it for just one week.

coffee

cigarettes

alcohol

bottled water

manicures

car washes

weekday lunches out

vending machine snacks

2.  Check out your local library.  Rather than spending money on books, music, and movies.. check them out!  You'd be suprised at the current releases you will find.  Also, most library systems now have ebooks!

3.  Cancel unused memberships.  Personally, I avoid any kind of recurring membership fee like the plague!  They just dont work for me!  If there is a way for me to get the same service without a membership, I'll do that any day.

4.  Pay your bills as they come.  If money isnt your issue, financial organization may be.  Avoid late fees by paying bills in a timely manner.

5.  Avoid temptation.  This is actually easier than it seems.  You're out shopping, you see something you'd like to purchase.  Rather than buying it in the moment,  test yourself.  If it is something you really really want or need, you'll be willing to come back another day for it.  If not, then you probably didnt need it to begin with.

6.  Substitute.  Rent a video rather than going to a movie.  Bring a bag of snacks rather than purchasing.  Have a game night with friends rather than going out.  Find a way to do what you want without shelling out the cash.

7.  Coupon, coupon, coupon!   Plan your cooking for the week based on what is on sale.  Buy generic.. most are just as good as the name brand.  Avoid buying the extra snacks (not good for you anyway)  And stick to that grocery list! Also, when cooking, look several versions of a recipe up on the internet.  Look for the primary ingredients, those that are common to all the versions.  The less extra ingredients you have to buy, the more you will save. 

8.  Downsize.  Your cable service.  Your cell phone service.  Your cleaning service.  I know you've gotten used to it.. so you feel like it's a necessity.  But take a hard look.  Is it really?  Give your own ability some credit.  You can live in a smaller way!

9.  Use up what you already have.  Food in the pantry or the fridge, art supplies, cosmetics, toiletries, cleaning supplies.  Before you go to buy something new... force yourself to use what you already have.  Train yourself to feel satisfaction in using something up.

10. Track your spending.   Every little penny, write it down.  See exactly what you are doing with your money. All those small amounts add up!

So those are 10 possible options.  None of them are that creative.. nor really that difficult.  Choose one for each week.  You can comment here, or meet up in the forums for support meeting your goal!  We also will have a general  "Goal Gear Up" session every Sunday night in the Education room of the Friends in Healing chatroom.  Help us witness your progress and uplift you!

Kaizen Wednesday: Begin at the Beginning

It's that time of year!  We either dread it or look at it as a fresh start.  Time to make our New Year's Resolutions!    This year I'd like to welcome you on a journey with me.  Rather than making a list of life changes that require radical efforts, how about "taste testing" a variety of areas of personal growth?  Each month we will be reflecting and acting upon a different area and making small, concrete actions towards growth each week.  Take a look at what we have in store:

January:  Financial Stability

February:  Healthy Eating

March:  Cleaning and Organization

April:  Social Connection

May:  Exercise

June: Self Care

July: Time for Play

August:  Creative Expression

September:  Spirituality

October:  Brain Power

November: Acts of Service

December: Relaxation

Each week during the month you will be asked to do one small action towards the designated life area.  We will encourage small, easily achievable goals with a high chance for success.  The idea is that getting a taste of reaching the goal in a small way will encourage us to keep some of these goals up throughout the year.  

And I have several ways to support you on this journey.  First, at the beginning of the month I will post possible small actions for the designated life area.  I'm hoping others will add their input as well.  Secondly, each Sunday we will be holding a  "Goal Gear Up" session in the Education room of the Friends in Healing Chat rooms at 6 pm CST time.  Not only a time to discuss your monthly activity, you can discuss any personal goals for the week, get encouragement, and perhaps even a little advice thrown in!

Now what is this "kaizen"?????  Kaizen is the japanese word for continuous improvement.  Mainly used as a productivity process in business, we are going to use tools and strategies from kaizen to our personal goals.  Each Wednesday, I'll be posting ideas and strategies from a variety of kaizen resources.. beginning with