I love chocolate, pies and tasty desserts. It was only recently that I made a very interesting discovery. I was exploring a few ideas for an article I was writing when a bolt of insight set me back into my chair.
That insight was about having a life long desire for more sweetness in life. I am going to mix some metaphors here but hang in there. I promise you, this will shed some interesting light and insight into your life.
Not long ago I moved from Boulder, Colorado to the Oregon Coast. Boulder is a fitness town, where bike paths and trails are always abuzz with activity. Here on the coast the lifestyle is more laid back and bodies are less fit but maybe less stressed to? The relaxed tempo here is a pure joy for me. I however love keeping fit too so exercise is part of my daily routine.
My drive to be fit sometimes feels like my way of dealing with my sweet tooth. But now I realize this sweet tooth has a very long history.
I probably have used food, especially sweet foods, as a way to compensate for not getting my needs met as a child. No blame intended. I wanted more of the sweet moments, but in a large family those sometimes can be infrequent.
So my mind, in its ever-resourceful way of meeting my needs, came upon the idea that substituting certain kinds of food for an ache in my heart would do the job. This sweet solution began early in life and has been a driving force since. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
I look around and suspect my solution may be a reflection of our collective consciousness. I am confident others have taken on the sweetness solution but don’t have my fitness drive. Thus we have many people being challenged by concerns about their weight.
In these stressful times food can serve as a way to self-sooth. Food can feel and taste good in the moment but it may have an accumulative effect. We may need other ways to meet our needs.
What if these times simply call for more moments of sweetness? Moments when our inner needs are met with a variety of soothing experiences. The following is a list of twelve ways to bring more sweetness into your life:
1. Expressing Your Heart – Sharing love is a wonderful way to bring more sweetness into your life.
2. Appreciation – In moments of true appreciation for others, for beauty and for the marvels of life you are uplifted.
3. Insight and Awareness – When you go deeper into understanding, you become aware of a greater possibility in you. This fills you with hope.
4. Living In The Now – This moment is full of joy, peace, love and freedom. All you have to do is be present.
5. Being Mindful – This practice as well as meditation, yoga, tai chi and others all bring you into the sweetness of yourself and your life.
6. Acts of Kindness – Reaching out to others by being kind lifts them and you too.
7. Making A Difference – The world needs you to make a difference. You feel so alive when you do.
8. Moments Of Peacefulness – A quiet sit or walk, time set aside for inner peace and contemplation, enriches your life.
9. Live With Purpose – If you have a passion for a purpose, living it will fill your life with the sweetest light and energy.
10. Action And Activity – One of the best highs is to get up and move into action. Do something that you like to do.
11. Creative Expression – Write a poem, make up a song, paint a picture, and life will taste so good.
12. Soul Food – Make contact with your soul, the part of you that is infinite and eternal, always brings you great inspiration.
Now when the urge for a bit of sweetness comes up, you have more options. The sweet moments in life oftentimes come spontaneously but we don’t have to wait for them. We can actively do what we know works to make us feel good.
How sweet life will be.