So yesterday I had an interesting experience with this ice cream cone that I’d like to share.
It was a warm day in the city (finally!) and I was coming back from meeting up with a friend in Union Square at around noon when suddenly the thought of having a vanilla ice cream cone with chocolate sprinkles sounded like the absolute best idea.
As soon as I got off the subway, I went ahead and got it. No questions asked.
And let me tell you… this ice cream cone was amazing.
Once I got it, I slowed down my pace, walked really slowly over the three blocks to my apartment, and just basked in the sun and the pure enjoyment of the ice cream. I felt like a little kid again, licking all the sprinkles off first and catching the ice cream as it dripped off and melted.
I was so immersed in the experience. I didn’t notice anything around me, and for the first time in weeks, I realized that I wasn’t thinking about work, or where I needed to be, or my to-do list. My mind was completely present and I was extracting every ounce of pleasure from the experience.
The next thing I knew, I was on the wrong block. I started laughing to myself, because I was literally so involved in the ice cream cone joy that I forgot where I lived and started walking down a different block.
Now if that’s not true “presence”, then I don’t know what is.
When I got back to my apartment and finished the last bite of my ice cream cone, I felt on top of the world. I was beaming. I was so happy. That ice cream cone, although it only lasted a few minutes, gave me so much satisfaction. And I enjoyed, literally, every single second of it.
I’m joking when I say that I meditated through the ice cream cone, but my point is that being totally present and immersed in our food can bring us so much joy, satisfaction and pleasure.
And when we realize how much enjoyment we can get from our food, we don’t need to eat as much of it. Alternatively, if I had walked back to my apartment thinking about a million different things, the cone would have been gone before I knew it, and I would not have even noticed the amount of pleasure I could have gotten from it. Then, I would have been left feeling unsatisfied and wanting more.
So my challenge for you is… the next time you eat something today, try to be FULLY present and extract as much enjoyment as you possibly can from it. Whether you are sipping on a cup of coffee or eating a sandwich off the side of the street, spend at least a few extra seconds focusing on the food. The taste, the feel, the texture, the smell. And see how much more satisfied you feel afterward. Maybe you even find yourself eating less, but that’s not even the point. I just want you to walk away feeling happy and saying to yourself “damn, that was good”.
Have you had an experience like my ice cream cone experience lately? And if you give this a shot today, tell me how it goes!
A Runnaroundd Life says
Ah, I love this. I just have to share a post with you that I wrote over a year ago. Ice cream has magical powers I think… http://arunnarounddlife.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/two-scoops-of-childhood/
Jamie says
I love this post! and i love the title as well… two scoops of childhood. perfectly said 🙂
Cara Buffalino-Silman says
Great post Jaime! How are you?
Cara Buffalino-Silman, CHHC, AADP
Freshmade NYC 636 Broadway, 5th Floor, Suite #516 o: 212.475.0500 c: 917.817.9101 f: 212.475.0505 cara@freshmadenyc.com http://www.freshmadenyc.com
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Jamie says
Hi Cara! I’m good, I miss you guys! Hope all is well.
Katie says
I LOVE this! And a have a goal of doing just that this spring/summer. Wanting an ice cream come & then having one! And enjoying every bite. Also, being more present for eating more often. Thanks for sharing this. Really, LOVE it!
Jamie says
Of course! Can’t wait to hear how things go for you as you bring more presence to your meals. xox.
Madi says
perfect imagery here! i totally pictured it! I can’t wait for a warm summer day (actually, a warm summer night with a cutie by my side wouldn’t be too bad either) to do just this! I love me some Baskin Robbins!
Jamie says
hahah… keep picturing it, girl. a cutie + ice cream + summer night = heaven.
Becky @ Olives n Wine says
Wow, I am so impressed with this post 🙂 I cannot wait until spring hits here in Minneapolis so I can enjoy an ice cream cone and get lost on a walk. I recently purchased Biscoff Butter for the first time this week (best decision ever, BTW!) and I had a “moment” with my spoonful of butter. It was an after-dinner treat for me because I was craving it all day long and while I was enjoying my spoonful, I didn’t realize that 10 minutes had passed while I was just focused on my nut butter. It was a great feeling!
Jamie says
hahaha that’s hilarious! that biscoff butter looks unREAL. I havent ever had it but maybe I will look for it. What do you put it on?
Katie @ Live Half Full says
This is so awesome! I’ve been doing really well with IE lately, I feel like it finally has “clicked.” I had a similar experience the other day with an Oreo brownie. Such a good experience. 🙂
Jamie says
Katie… so good to hear from you and I’m so happy to hear that things are “clicking”. Awesome job sticking with it!
mangoesandmiles says
I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever had this experience in my life, which is a little sad because it sounds wonderful! But I’m definitely going to try it today and see what happens!
Jamie says
it’s not too late to give it a shot! let me know how it goes!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says
It’s amazing the power of ice cream. I need to get my next serving cone style, so I can hark back to the days of my youth where I got to lick it, and I might have just made your innocent post a little dirty. Sorry about that; I’m not right, although I did love this post. I made snow angels this past winter all by myself for very much the same reasons. It feels good to be a kid again.