Mindfulness is an important variable in getting to know yourself deeply because it is the foundation that helps us see our own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors clearly. According to the definition of “mindfulness” from the Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University, it means the characteristics of a person who can pay attention to various phenomena that occur in the present moment, continuously passing from one moment to the next, with an attitude that is open and accepting experiences without evaluating, analyzing, or rushing to judge, which is a complete acceptance of those experiences.
When we are mindful of every waking moment, we can better distinguish between the real needs of our body and mind, and the fleeting emotions or desires. From this point on, we can begin to change our behavior, thoughts, words, and actions to be more in line with our own needs.
For example, today I felt hungry at noon but knew that I really didn’t want to eat anything special. My first thought was, “I need to eat to get the nutrients my body needs.” However, upon further consideration, I found that if I was going to choose food, I wanted it to be something that would benefit my health in the long run rather than just choosing based on my current cravings. I thought I wanted carbs from a banana smoothie, but I didn’t have a clear answer for protein, so I walked around checking out different restaurants to listen to my body and see what it needed.
As I walked along, I realized that I didn't want to eat any meat, but tofu would be good. However, when I got to a vegetarian restaurant that served tofu, I didn't feel like eating it. Finally, I walked to a rice and curry shop and saw that they had braised pork, which at that moment I thought, "This is what I can eat." So I chose braised pork, got three eggs, two tofu, and chose a banana smoothie for carbs.
The result is that this meal provides complete nutrition. Protein and fat come from eggs and tofu, while carbohydrates come from bananas. In addition to providing essential nutrients, it also helps control cholesterol and reduce unnecessary carbohydrate intake, which is in line with my goals of taking care of my health and controlling my weight. All of this would not have been possible if I had not been mindful and controlled my decisions.
What we see from this example is that mindfulness helps us make better choices that are good for us, not just with food, but in all aspects of our lives. When we are aware of our thought processes and feelings, we are able to make decisions that are more self-serving and not driven solely by emotions or habits, leading to a better quality of life in the long run.
