What Making Toast Taught Me

Photo by Shamblen Studios on Unsplash

Part of my morning ritual is tuning into my body after meditating and asking myself, what do I need and want, right now?

I pause and listen.

Sometimes my body is ready for breakfast. Sometimes it wants movement first. I pay attention to the signals.

This morning my body was hungry for something sweet and crunchy. My mouth started to water. My belly felt empty. My fingers and eyes scanned the kitchen. My body was signaling it was ready for breakfast.

“Do I want jam & butter toast?” “Do I want peanut butter & jelly?” “Do I want banana and honey?” Options started to ping pong in my mind. I slowed down to notice what my mouth and belly wanted. “Do I want this….or that…?”, I thought.

I started to feel boxed in. Pressured to make a choice.

Then I smiled.

I can have a version of all three!

I didn’t need to make an either or statement.

I plopped a piece f Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast in the toaster (yum, my fav).

I gathered all of the ingredients as if I was setting up a paint palette:

• Kerry Gold butter

• Raspberry jam

• Creamy peanut butter

• Half a banana

• Raw honey

• Cinnamon

All lined the countertop. I went to work.

Mindful cooking is a powerful place to notice. Right here with my own hands, senses and thoughts. I created choices for myself, where my mind originally felt closed with options.

So often in life we can get into fixed mindsets where we don’t question, challenge or explore possibilities.

Playing in the kitchen reminds me how creative I can be. How something new can be developed with simple ingredients. When I enter a creative mindset, I see new possibilities. Life feels more fun and expansive.

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This Week’s Practice:

I welcome you to reflect and notice where you limit yourself

Share your noticings with me in the comments or send me a DM.

1. What is cooking teaching you about yourself?

2. When do you feel your most creative?

3. Where in your life do you create either or statements?

4. What other creative options can you notice when you challenge limited thinking by asking yourself, “what else is possible?”