Mindfully Full

One of the most profound lessons I learned in India was that we don’t need half as much as what we think we do.

We saw people with almost nothing, in terms of material possessions at least, who were happy with what they had, grateful for their health, their family, their home, even if it was just a little shack with no hot water.

It is a very humbling experience to realise that there are people who feel satisfied with just having their next meal on the table, and at the same time, a very unsettling feeling to come back and witness the desperation surrounding the next iPhone release.

Personally I have found it difficult coming back. It’s because I have changed, I realise this.

I couldn’t care less if Renee Zellwegger has had plastic surgery. I don’t feel like I’m missing out by not having a flash car, or even a Flatscreen TV (although for Raphael this was a non-negotiable), and I am about as happy with my latest bargain purchase from the charity shop than I ever was about another pair of Karen Millen shoes. Well almost 🙂

My point is that we think it is all these “things” that will make us happy, and maybe they do, but not for long, and the worst part is that we will always be looking for something outside of us to make us happy. We will always be slightly dissatisfied what we have.

I know now that it takes less to be happy.

I also accept that, whilst it’s ok to ask for more, it’s more important to accept where we are. I often say this about yoga, and it’s yet another case of “as on the mat, as in life”.

The message that I think we can all learn from is realising that we don’t always need “more”.

As you may know, I used to run weight loss camps, and I would say that the number one reason why people had put on weight, and this was by their own admission, was eating portions that were too big.

Think about this. The weight loss industry is worth billions. People selling this diet, that shake, the four minute workout, the next magic pill, when actually the problem is simply eating too much. I feel like crying sometimes.

How has this happened?

Well, I don’t think it’s all our fault actually (and I do include myself as being guilty of this).

We are being constantly bombarded with messages that tell us that food, or other “products”, are going to be the answer to our unfulfilled needs in life.

Another thing I noticed about coming back was that the more adverts I was exposed to, the more magazines I read, the more I began believing I needed more.

I was mindlessly being hypnotised by those clever marketers.

When I stop and think about it, I don’t need that latest magic anti-wrinkle serum that costs a fortune. Coconut oil is better for my skin than any other branded product I’ve ever tried. Baking soda, sea salt and honey the best exfoliator and face mask ever. My kitchen is my new cosmetics cabinet.

I’ve realised that I spend twice as much, if not more, if I ever set foot into a supermarket than I intended to. Yet if I plan my food based on a few key things I get from the market on a Saturday, I get better produce, I feel much healthier, and I’ve spent less.

Eating mindfully, always sat at a table, and only eating what I need, has done more for my figure than any of the hundreds of diets I’ve tried over the decades. It’s what they call the “French paradox”. They eat what they want but they don’t put on weight. It’s not magic, it’s not even a paradox. They eat what they want, but never more than the body needs.

It’s just being mindful. It’s just being conscious, rather than subconscious, about our habits. It’s being aware we always have a choice, being aware of the impact of our choices, and making our decisions accordingly.

I find living like this has made me more happier than I have ever been.

Just simply knowing that all I have is enough is enough for me!