Be Here. Now.
Sep 28
I did something different tonight, on the advice of Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Wintink of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience Coaching – I practiced mindfulness while eating my dinner. Focusing on the act itself, instead of distracting my attention with music, television or even a book. I savoured each bite, remembering the textures, aromas and flavours that filled my senses. Each swig of from the cold bottle of Tankhouse Ale sent a wave of biting sweetness down my throat, in stark contrast to the steaming plate of pasta.
I was mindful of my meal – and felt calm and sated.
I had attended Mandy’s lecture at the Centre for Social Innovation last night, where she talked about Getting the Most out of Your Brain. I’ve been particularly aware of the importance of our noodles – not only is it the centre of plans, memories, decisions, ideas, productivity, happiness and emotion, but it’s also the “government of the body.” How you act (and react) to the world around you all depends on the health of 3 lbs of grey matter.
The greatest feature of our brains is its plasticity – or its ability to adapt to its environment and how its being used. If you constantly bombard it with a never-ending, hyper-active stimuli found in television for example, it will re-wire itself to anticipate instant gratification. Nicholas Carr’s Is Google Making Us Stupid made a similar point, and his latest book, The Shallows is currently sitting on my coffee table, waiting to be cracked open. Guess it’s time to flex another set of muscles and focus on in-depth reading…
We’re all aware that a healthy body, fuelled by exercise and good food, leads to a better life. I’ve learned that the same can be said of our brains. The 3-fold path of improving our productivity, increasing our happiness and enhancing our creativity can only lead us to a more optimal brain. I’m ready to take those first steps…
