Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Just had a wonderful lunch out. For the first time I put my new habit of not reading or watching TV or otherwise occupying my attention while eating to the test of eating out alone. And I have to say that not only did I feel the effect of getting fuller, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the meal more.
And that is the key, the essence of what my new focus has become (unspoken, and more unconscious before now). It's not like I live what I would call a hectic life. My job and my wife's job is not especially stressful, the work pretty much ends as soon as I leave the office. Other than the seasonal sports the kids do not demand an excessive amount of time any more. So to a certain extent we do get a decent amount of free time.
But I have a tendency to focus on things well beyond my control, and allow that focus to zero in on the negative. I become embroiled in following politics, and arguing about it. Or let sports overtake my life, again something well beyond my control. And this wears me out emotionally and intellectually.
So, taking the time to focus on my food today at lunch helped remind me to focus on the here and now, to enjoy what I am doing. And this also helps me in my eating choices, because many of the fast food choices out there really don't taste that great, but if you are not really paying attention, and instead are focused on reading, it becomes easier to just eat crap. But when you are actually thinking about your food you realize what you are eating just isn't that good and lose your appetite.
The same can be said about pretty much every other aspect of my life. I just need to retrain myself to take the time and focus on what I am doing, not on what I am not involved in, or doing, or is beyond my control. Because letting my energy focus on those things instead of what I am doing not only keep me from enjoying what I am doing, and making what I am doing worse, it also uses up my energy.
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