One bite at a time. Leave the overwhelm behind

 Good morning!

One bite at a time.

I know it sounds simple. But even one bite is a generalization. The perception of what is in that bite and how it is chewed, and being mindful and present while you chew, and savouring each flavour as you chew and being satisfied and fulfilled in the moment with the one bite and....

Okay. So what is really IN "just one bite"?

For those that feel pressured and stressed and then UGH!!! Have to think about eating too??? That's SO MUCH WORK!!! AND....

So why is it such stress to even get to the point of thinking of just SITTING down and settling into enjoying your meal?

Do you really have to pull yourself away and take time out to feed your body because you KNOW you "SHOULD" eat something and ....

You see... in the mind of an "overthinker" (I'm not big on labels, because we may have all had a moment like this in our lives sometimes), it's not about wanting to control everything and trying to eat the whole BUFFET before them at once... it really comes back to a moment... a moment where safety felt compromised...a moment where the brain "felt" like it didn't take in all the right inputs to "avoid" feeling threat and then hurt or injury or an experience of compromise happened....and the loop is actually still running. Like a mad hamster squeaking reps on a hamster wheel with no end in sight.

You see, overthinking is moreso about not resting the brain from perceiving threat and it is STILL, at a low grade level, trying to close that loop left open from long ago. Your running with low grade threat on a consistent basis.

Counting your wins helps to close out some of those loops. It helps to shift perception at the end of the day of many different experiences and close the loops. That moment that didn't go so great still went better than expected and you figured out how you would approach it better next time. Threat closed. Safety restored. I did that hard workout and it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would after...I'll make sure to keep stretching so that I don't get stiff and sore tomorrow. Managing how you will recover...nice!! Threat adverted...safety and growth restored.

It comes back around to safety. And when it comes down to "one bite at a time", it's not just around eating. The analogy and reference is intentional. When we eat, it is best to be in the state of "rest and digest". It's our "safety" state. Our body will more readily and efficiently digest what we eat and use it to build us up for our growth and development...and us being built up enhances our capacity to maintain our safety.

Imagine if we operate by imagining that we are safe as we are in our day to day moments and experiences (well those moments that don't require us to be in fight or flight mode, which for most of us, is most of our days). More things will have a sense of fulfillment and completion. They will close out well at the end of the day with a feeling of joy and excitement and we will be more joyful and hopeful about what is to come in the next day or moment.

So yes, take things one bite at a time if you can. Small bites helps to keep the unknown of the next step as manageable and doable. And then celebrate that it WAS doable and workable, and then try out the next step. Just work with what is right in front of you. Enjoy and savour.

You got this!!

LOL I've found an open loop today myself HAHAHA! I didn't go searching for it...I noticed it and reminded myself that I am safe ...right now. And I'll chew through it and let myself find the learning in it.

#thankyouGod #newday #overthinkers #club #onebite #noelephants #youaresafe #simpleandconsitent #onestepatatime #Lovefirst #buildup #encourage #besupported