We've talked about cravings many times and how they're often linked to an emotional situation. Today I want to talk about emotional reactions and how you can start to short circuit that process to find more peace and ease in your life... and not have those cravings triggered.
Unfortunately, Connie is still suffering with shingles and won't be with us. Join me to hear more.
What I'm talking about here as an emotional reaction is simply being upset. We can feel hurt, or angry or frustrated. Or it can be something more subtle like just being impatient or annoyed. Sometimes it reveals itself as a harsh word.
For most of my life I didn't handle emotional reactions well. I believed it was inappropriate to express anger or to even be angry. That lead to a lot of emotional suppression that would inevitably come out sideways when I (and who I was with) least expected it.
That all changed when I came across this understanding that points out that my experience of life is inside-out and not outside-in. I had always thought that if I felt angry if someone cut me off in traffic, or if I felt hurt by something someone said or did, it was what happened (outside of me) that made me feel that way.
As I explored that idea with this new understanding, I began to see that when I felt angry or hurt, it wasn't from what happened but rather what I was thinking ABOUT what happened. I began to see that what I'm always feeling is my thinking in that moment.
Now, if I feel upset in some way, it's more like an alarm going off to wake me up to where the reaction is coming from rather than a call to action. Instead of feeling like I need respond from that emotion to deal with the situation, it's more of a wake up call to see that I'm thinking something that's creating the feeling.
What a turnaround that is. Now, I don't feel like I have to change what's happening outside me to come back to my centre, my balance within again. I just pause and reflect on what I'm thinking about that's bringing up the emotion and almost always it's an exaggerated or distorted thought that makes it look like I need to protect or defend myself.
When I see the situation, free of the thinking, I can see more clearly what's going on and I respond (usually) in a very sensible way, rather than reacting and fighting back or "standing up for myself."
It's like the snake and the rope analogy. When I see something on the floor and think it's a snake, I react to protect myself. But if I pause and notice it's actually just a rope, all the initial reaction, which was appropriate if it really was a snake, settles down and I respond from that place of ease and balance.
This has brought me so much more peace and ease in my life. And improved all of my relationships.
How often does something someone says or does look like a snake to you that produces an emotional reaction? What if you were to pause next time and see if you can look at it from a place that is free of the thinking you initially have about it? Give yourself the time and space to see if it really is a snake needing a protective response, or just a rope that momentarily looked like a snake.
The recipe this week is a Mango Rice Salad Bowl. Full of flavour and topped with Avocado dressing, you can put it together as a Buddha Bowl or salad over a bed of lettuce, or even use it for lettuce wraps.
To your Amazing Health,
Bill and Connie
Mango Rice Salad Bowl (Serves 2-4) Adapted from Forks over Knives
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (hot or cold)
- 2 fresh mangoes, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed or 2 cups frozen, thawed
- 1 15-oz. can black or pinto beans, drained (and rinsed if salt added)
- 1 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- Thinly sliced jalapeño (optional)
This can be put together in two different ways, as a bowl, like a Buddha Bowl, or as a salad, like a potato salad
Bowl Method
In bowls arrange lettuce, rice, mangoes, beans, and bell pepper. Drizzle with avocado dressing (recipe below). Top with cilantro, onion, and jalapeño (if using).
Salad Method
Make a bed of lettuce on each salad plate.
In a large mixing bowl, mix all the other ingredients together, rice, mango, beans, bell pepper, cilantro, onion and jalapeño (if using). Pour the dressing over it and mix in.
Serve over the bed of lettuce.
Dressing
- 1 of a small avocado, pitted and peeled
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (any vinegar will work)
- ¾ cup filtered water
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon raisins
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.