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Garden Fresh with Claudia Deen: Living in the Present Moment

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Anxiety can be a feeling that, without us noticing, can take over ourselves.

We tend to have a lot on our minds, to not be satisfied with where we are at, and to always want more. This is not a bad thing because it can translate into a healthy sense of ambition, but if we focus all of our energy in everything we don’t have instead of moving towards ways to fixing the things we don’t like, anxiety can come to float.

Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways: with a bad attitude towards our loved ones, overeating, having negative thoughts, and so on.

When I notice that things are a bit off and that anxiety may be making its way into my life, I take a second to stop and analyze which areas of my life I am not satisfied with that are triggering this sensation. Then I think about what I do have. I have a healthy family, a loving husband, beautiful dogs, a house, food, clothing… so many blessings!

When we are anxious and don’t give our brain some time to stop and relax, we’re not living in the present moment. Instead, we’re living in a future that may never come so it’s basically a waste of time.

Here’re some practices that I like to incorporate weekly. They give me a sense of general peace and help me stay present. Maybe they can help you too!

1. Meditate 5-10 min every morning: as soon as I open my eyes, I play a guided meditation on my phone to start the day with a positive mindset. There are many apps, but my favorite is Calm.

2. Say a blessing before each meal: We always do this, but now instead of only giving general thanks and asking God to give to those who have less than we do, I’m taking my time and getting into specifics. For example, giving thanks for the sun, the rain, the farmers, and all the resources that made possible for me to enjoy this food.

3. Chew each bite 30+ times: It’s hard, but it keeps me grounded and helps me to not overeat just because I’m anxious.

4. Pray every night: Bobby and I always pray together every night, but, again, now I’m taking more time to do so. I light up a candle for the images I have on my bed side table and get on my knees like I used to when I was a child. Bobby’s daddy inspired me to start doing this again.

5. Meditation classes once a week. I haven’t been super diligent with this, but when I can, I go to the only meditation class in town that’s on Sunday nights. Taking a full hour to just be present is wonderful for anyone’s soul.

6. Volunteer: doing this for different organizations is a great way to give back.

7. Attend church once a week: it makes me feel good, and, again, it’s an hour to connect deeper with our creator. If you don’t attend a church, maybe you could try joining one or just find a meditation class in your area.

Hope this helps you to stay mindful!

Claudia Deen - Founder, The Trendy Smoothie Claudia Deen is a Certified Health Coach based in Savannah, GA, and the founder of The Trendy Smoothie. Claudia is a brown belt in karate, thirteen-time half-marathon finisher, seven-time marathon finisher, and two-time Ironman 70.3 finisher. After a career in advertising, her passion for fitness and fresh eating led to a career centered on helping others achieve a healthier lifestyle. In 2013, Claudia married Paula’s son, Bobby. You can follow Claudia on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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