Appreciating Beauty

Beauty is right before our collective eyes every day. We have all had those times when we really appreciate a sunset, a starry night, a cardinal singing in a tree, the kindness of a stranger, or a nice cup of coffee and conversation with a friend. For me, the smiles and laughter of my two young boys really light up my day. I know, it's cliche but it's true.

But all too often we "tune in" to what aggravates and annoys us. This is like eating junk food every day - it's just not good for us. That's not to say that we should be blind to the ills of the world. We should notice those and use them to spur us to action. However, the effect of dwelling on the negative of the world and ourselves is likely to be feelings of dissatisfaction and possibly depression.

Instead of focusing on the negative, try to take a moment every day to notice and appreciate something beautiful. Don't just make it a passing thought...really soak it up. If you do this more than one time per day, that's even better. In doing so we are really training our brains to "tune in" to beauty. Like all things, if we practice at this, we will improve. Like improving our diet, noticing beauty more often will have positive and long-lasting health benefits. Don't just give it a try for a day or two - try to incorporate this into your daily life. Then you'll see the difference.

A Quick Tip for Healthier Eating

We all make this mistake sometimes...our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and we end up eating much more than we should have. With aching bellies we wonder what we were thinking to eat all of that food!? Did we really need to eat those last two pieces of pizza? Of course we didn't...but we keep on making the same mistake.

I'm a big fan of win-win situations, and this healthier eating tip is one of those. The trouble that we often run into when we overeat is that we eat faster than are stomachs can signal our brains that we are full. There's a bit of a lag time, around 10-15 minutes before the signal reaches our brains to stop and by that time it is too late. When you reach the point that you are starting to feel the least bit full, stop eating and wait about 10-15 minutes before eating any more. Tell yourself that you CAN STILL eat those last two pieces of pizza if you want to after waiting for those 10-15 minutes. Chances are, you won't want to after waiting...but if you do, go ahead and eat whatever it is. I was going to say that this is one way to have your cake and eat it too, but I'm not going to.

This works really well for portion sizes of foods with which you are familiar. For example, I used to eat an entire 12" Subway...and always regret if afterwards. I knew it was too much for me to eat, but I was never full while I was eating it. After hearing about this strategy somewhere, I started using it for the sandwich. Now, I only eat the 6" portion of the sandwich, but I tell myself that I can have the other half after waiting 10-15 minutes. And you know what? I never have taken myself up on that offer.