Mindfulness and Eating Disorder Recovery
People keep talking about Mindfulness. Maybe you have heard of it in a yoga class, on TV, in the coffee shop or simply hear people simply talking about it on the street. But what does it really mean? One of modern leaders of mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn defines it as; “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (2003). So again what does this mean exactly, and how can you use mindfulness in your eating disorder recovery? Let’s break it down one piece at a time.
The first part can be defined as using your consciousness to focus or pay attention intentionally. An easy every day example could be paying attention to the little details when you do a seemingly mindless task, like brushing your teeth, washing dishes or pumping gas. We usually “zone out” when we do these things, and think about other stuff in our lives. Next time you do these things, why not pay attention on purpose and see what happens. Use your five senses to be super present. What does your toothbrush look like? What does the toothpaste taste like? What sounds do you hear? What does the brush feel like on your teeth? What does the toothpaste smell like? Practice this simple formula in all that you do. It’s an easy way to begin the first part of being mindful; paying attention on purpose. Especially your eating disorder recovery – be mindful of the steps you are taking in recovery, by being fully present in your recovery practices.
The next part of the definition of mindfulness alludes to being present – not letting your mind wander, and most importantly not judging what’s going on in the current moment. This may be tricky at first, but the more your practice being nonjudgmental, the more balanced you will feel and the easier mindfulness will come. Try to not be critical of others, a situation and most paramount don’t judge yourself! Especially your eating disorder behaviors – be mindfully aware that you are engaging in an eating disorder behavior, without “beating yourself up” about it.
A lot of times people focus on past mistakes they have made or what will happen in five minutes, an hour, a month or even years down the road. When you do any of these things you are missing out on the opportunity to be fully present and what is happening in the here and now. When you live in or focus on the past or future, life becomes difficult because you have no way to change the past or control the future. Why not embrace each moment as it comes? We are constantly changing. Even in the time it took you to read this you have changed slightly. Practice patience with yourself and others. Next time you are stuck in traffic or experiencing road rage, instead of yelling in your car take a deep breath and realize you cannot change what is happening. What you can do is accept it, not judge the situation and remain calm. Mindfulness and patience go hand in hand. This doesn’t mean you have to like everything that is happening. Who actually likes a traffic jam? However, if you accept it and yourself, life will go a little more smoothly!
How can you use mindfulness for your eating disorder recovery? Try it today!
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Interested to learn more about MINDFULNESS? Join us at Positive Pathways for Rebecca Sculley’s next DBT SKILLS GROUP which starts WEDNESDAY MAY 6. Learn more about this and other groups: http://positivepathways.com/workshops-and-groups/
Interested in a FREE consultation? Dr. Dorie would like to get to know you and give you feedback about how EDIT™ can help you achieve the results you desire. Call 720-606-3242 or learn more: http://positivepathways.com/free-consultation/
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