Mindful Indulgence

What is mindful indulgence and how can it help us release our fears, overcome our anxiety, feel more at peace, and fulfill our heart's desires?

Mindful indulgence is about merging the physical with the spiritual, our intentions with our manifestations. It's about slowing down and savoring the moment, right here and right now. In a time where everyone is rushing to get somewhere else, mindful indulgence reminds us to pause, breathe, and take in all the wonders that surround us.

Society has never been more fast-paced than it is today, causing many of us to feel lost, disconnected, confused, frustrated, and generally more stressed and tired than ever before. Many of us have lost touch with what really moves us and inspires us to get out of bed each morning with a spring in our step. Depression, anxiety, and mental illness are on the rise, yet many do not know how to get out of that vicious cycle without resorting to self-medicating or getting lost in one instant gratification after another. But all this does is ignore the warning signs of spiritual, physical, and mental exhaustion.

Go, go, go has its perks, but it has its consequences too. We try so desperately to keep up with the status quo, which many of us were taught to want so early on in life, but we fail to question if that status quo is, in fact, enough to truly make us happy. We fight, we compete, and we compare, but a lot of the time we're just chasing after someone else's dream and functioning under someone else's "rules" and standards.

Consequently, mindful indulgence can help us get back to who we really are at our core by grounding us in the present moment in order so that we can slow down and savor what life has to offer. It gives us the time to think about what we really want, the permission to feel what we truly feel, and the opportunity to breathe life in instead of allowing it to just pass us by. Moreover, it gives us the freedom to contemplate our lives from a more conscious and intentional perspective. Mindful indulgence, then, is simply the authorization we grant ourselves to be honest, authentic, and purpose-driven instead of living a life posing as somebody else.

For years I spent my time spinning my wheels trying to catch up to a place I thought I should be. As a workaholic, I ignored the callings of my body, mind, and soul in favor of trying to rush to the finish line, only to start something new all over again. And as a spiritual seeker, I found myself chasing after my own tail in an endless cycle of misinterpretation, confusion, and second-guessing. As a result, extreme anxiety found its way into my life, forcing me to stop in my tracks and figure out a way back to my exuberant, confident, and peaceful self. I didn't know it then, but mindfully indulging in my truth, in my authenticity, in my passions, and in my desires was the way to figuring out where I wanted to be and how I could get there, in my own unique way.

Mindful indulgence can mean many different things to different people, which is why I like to cover many topics under its umbrella. Self-care, a predominant tenet of mindful indulgence, is an on-going endeavor, and to this day I still need to remind myself from time-to-time to stop and smell the roses, if you will. But it does get easier the more you enforce your boundaries and choose to make yourself a priority in your own life. I no longer feel guilty for what I want or think it's too much. I no longer question my intuition or feel ashamed of my empathic sensitivities. And I no longer wait for some milestone in order to feel worthy of enjoying myself and expressing my passions.

It sounds too simple to be true, but I believe the key to finding your ultimate bliss is to simply allow yourself to experience it. We wait for permission from everyone around us when really we need to be giving it to ourselves. That way we will stop feeling guilty and we will stop making up excuses, justifications, and reasons for why we cannot be, do, or have what we authentically want.

Life is really about balance, and mindful indulgence is no different. But it is not about being hedonistic, self-centered, or irresponsible. On the contrary, mindful indulgence is about understanding and caring for yourself so that you have even more joy, energy, and resources to share with the world. Mindfully indulging, then, is one of the most giving things you can do, not only for yourself, but also for all those around you.