If you’ve been following by ezine or the blog, then you know my life has been a little crazy lately. Between twins, my very, very ill mother-in-law, and lots going on in the business, it’s been hard to maintain my center.
From the email and flurry of comments on the blog, this state of craziness is not unknown to you, either. In fact, it may seem more normal to have too much going on than you might ordinarily prefer.
A good mixture of spiritual practices, business focus, and love and support from friends and family is usually a winning recipe. But you may be missing a critical ingredient.
Things Were Getting Decidedly Strange
I had been noticing more and more overwhelm and worry-thoughts invading my space. Strange impulses and disturbing feelings that were familiar to me from much earlier in my life. Remembrance and spiritual practice helped a bit, but not as much as normal.
And then I noticed. With Holly’s sister in town, and the attempts to feed mom-in-law whatever she would eat, our eating habits were nosediving. Comfort foods, desserts, and strange eating times took over our life.
Plus, between the twins and family, my wife and I couldn’t connect with each other as we normally do. Instead of connection, I was eating. Eating all kinds of stuff, eating often and too much.
And my worry and fear went through the roof. Thankfully, in my spiritual practices, this one Sufi teaching kept popping up in my face over and over again.
The Most Dangerous Thing To Fill
The Sufi take on food is: don’t eat much. George Burns, the comedian who lived 100 years had the same philosophy of eating whatever he wanted, but only eating half of what was on the plate.
My Sufi sheikh has told us, “The most dangerous thing to fill is your stomach.” It may not be an obvious connection, but I’ve observed over the past nine years of spiritual work that what I eat directly affects my well being and effectiveness.
More from my sheikh: “Sufis do not eat except when they are hungry. And even then they do not eat to their complete satisfaction.” There is deep wisdom in this, because our sense of hunger is remarkably blunt. It can take an entire fifteen minutes from the time your stomach has enough, until the nerves let your brain know to turn off the hunger signal.
Fifteen minutes. That’s enough time to eat an entire extra meal, if you act quickly.
Our compulsions around food are very strong in this culture. Eating disorders abound, and for many of us food was and is a substitute for love and acceptance.
I’m not saying it’s easy, and for some of us, we need some real help to come into healthy relationship with food.
But if you’re struggling to be effective in your business, to be clear and grounded and open-hearted, and to overcome your fears, here’s what I’ve found helps me around food.
Keys To Eating Like An Entrepreneur
- The Rule of Thirds = A Fist Full
When you eat, remember that one third of your stomach is for food, one third is for water, and one third is for air. If you think about the actual size of your stomach, it becomes obvious that we’re talking about a fairly small amount of food that you actually need.
Here’s the rule of fist: ball your fist up, and hold it over your plate. Keep the quantity you take to the size of your fist, and no more. Eat that, and wait fifteen minutes. See if you’re really still hungry or not.
- Try Fasting From Time to Time
In every spiritual tradition I’ve studied, fasting is encouraged from time to time to help clear out the body and the spirit. In Sufism, ritual fasts are during daylight hours from sun up to sun down. Other traditions favor 25 hour fasts, or other practices.
Try picking a day and fasting. Notice your hunger. And notice the emotions and feelings that come up that would ordinarily drive you to go get something to snack on.
My experience is that in facing those feelings in a spiritually-supported ritual fast, they eventually settle out, and there is a deeper peace that I find underneath them.
Of course, do NOT fast if you’re ill or pregnant. Sufism forbids fasting in either of those cases, and it’s just plain good sense.
- Learn About Real Food
Food and diets can be very controversial, mainly because different body types need different nutrition to stay healthy. The one rule is that processed sugary food is not going to have the aliveness that you probably need to be effective in your business.
Here are two sources that have done miracles for my wife and I. You may like these, or you may like others, but even if you go to a nutritionist, find food that supports your body.
These two approaches, in combination, even though they contradict each other in parts, have brought me, my wife, and my kids an aliveness that is incredible:
Nourishing Traditions
The pH Miracle
It may be strange to contemplate your diet as a business-building strategy, but after recent events in my family, I’m reminded of the incredible role food has played in my ability to be effective, creative, and grounded in my business.
Try out eating only a fist-sized portion, try fasting, and try avoiding sugar or processed foods. Then notice your relationship to your business and all you’re trying to do. You may be very surprised by what happens.
17 Responses
Interesting take on things – sage advice for when another lunch at the computer seems the only option. Wrong!
To build on your final point, I’d recommend small-scale veggie gardening for all entrepreneurs.
Last summer I started my experiment – just a few tomatoes and lettuces. It became an all-out obsession and this summer I’ll have to seriously consider giving up about 20 tomato plants for adoption (to good homes only).
Not only did it provide lots of amazing, fresh food – the likes of which I’d never tasted – but the growing process in itself was a daily retreat to slow, calming relaxation.
Working, as many of us do, on my computer upwards of 10 hours a day, I think short escapes to the garden every few hours provide crucial contrast to our frenetic interwebby world. Cheaper than yoga, too!
Wonderful to see you covering a topic that people won’t necessarily associate with entrepreneurship yet so vital. I love that fist full image, will try that one out. Thanks Mark.
Corrina
Corrina Gordon-Barnes
I concur with Lauren. Growing your own food, or even just buying fresh local food makes a big difference. So much nutrient value is lost over time (i.e. in transportation and storage) and large scale practices often produce food with lower nutrient value. And you get to support other local entrepreneurs!
One of the most common arguments against eating local (and organic) food from small producers is price. But if you combine this with eating less, as you suggest, then maybe you spend the same but get smaller amounts of better quality food.
JoVE
Hey Mark,
When I was at your Sacred Moment a couple weeks ago, my eating habits changed pretty dramatically during that time.
The food prepared at Still Meadows was extremely healthy and good and I noticed I ate what I wanted when I wanted, rarely felt hungry except at meal times and had an overall sense of satisfaction. I didn’t crave the comfort foods I typically eat when I’m at home.
I’m not quite ready to give up coffee, diet pop, and cookies but I’m more ready if that makes sense.
I’m a big fan of small changes over time like replacing something not so nutritious with something better.
Thanks for the reminder around the importance of what we put in our bodies.
Much love to you
Judy
@Lauren- I love this advice! My wife has become a gardening nut over the last ten years. I haven’t become as
obsessedcommitted as she is, but I love getting out there with her.@Corrina- let me know how the fist-full works for you. It’s been a great measure for me (even if I don’t follow it 100%…)
@JoVE- Absolutely. Another benefit is that digging in the earth provides some important nutrients to us through contact with the soil. And, I can’t remember where I read it, maybe Ode Magazine but if you grow your own food, there’s a way the vegetables conform to your needs, because of the contact through the soil and the skin. There’s a very beautiful symbiosis and support.
As far as organic- it may be more expensive, but we always do it, and especially berries we never buy commercial. I’m not buying poisoned food.
Mark,
This article was incredibly healing and right on time for me. I love using my fist as a guide and I will be fasting soon! I have been reducing my intake of refined sugar and have noticed how I have used it to avoid and numb out. Instead of getting something overloaded with sugar, I can ask myself, “What sweetness do I really want in this moment?” Sometimes dessert wins, but being conscious and mindful about it has made all of the difference.
And after a recent visit to Esalen, I am a TOTAL believer in the sentience and sensitivity of vegetables. The salads were vibrating with bliss–and tasted so wonderful! I’ve never been in a place where I’ve been so aware of the happiness of the plants…all of the healing work on the land surely contributes, and I am thinking that plants prefer to be enjoyed close to home (most of the veggies consumed were grown on-site). I will look for that article you mentioned.
Just last night I said that I wanted to return to my more conscious eating practices (I’ve been eating anything and everything for the last week after a big move and other upheavals) and your words answered my prayer.
Thank you for the *sweet* inspiration, Mark.
@Judy- I’m so pleased that the food at the retreat helped your overall eating habits! Kristin’s food does that for me, too. It’s so nourishing to be there, and it carries over to home, in most instances.
@Almah- I hear you! It’s quite a journey to get healthy with food, and I’m so glad you had a similar experience at Esalen, that Judy and I had at the Sacred Moment with the food at Still Meadow Community. I’m rooting for you in your journey with eating like an entrepreneur.
Love this article. I believe we need to nurture all areas of our lives to be fully balanced and productive. This article came at a great time for me as I am in the process of revamping my diet for the better! Thank you for your wonderful insight!
Andrea
What a timely post, as I have recently been connecting similar dots myself. Thanks for reinforcing where my intuition has been leading me.
Mark,
Wonderful article with great points on my both food and self-care. I adopted the fist full idea many years ago after reading an article about stomach size in one of my professional journals and have used it with my wellness clients, who affectionately refer to it as “Lisa’s Phist Philosophy!” I also use it myself most of the time and maintain my weight where I like it. Also, not having a FULL stomach keeps you from feeling sluggish, both physically and mentally. And, you can always eat again when you get hungry – no need to overindulge.
Another wonderful non-diet approach to weight management and life in general is Dr. Michelle May’s, “Am I Hungry?” Program (http://AmIHungry.com). Take a look if you get a chance.
Best,
Lisa 🙂
Thanks for guiding us towards the spiritual aspect of choosing, preparing and eating food.
As a wellness coach I know that people tend to want to rush into diet changes and get fast results. I have found that there has to be a spiritual shift in intention and acceptance.
This mindset creates readiness. Then totally caring for ever organ cell in your body becomes a prioty. This attitude or mindset leads you to total nurturing of mind, body and spirit.
I loved this article, Mark. I definitely find that as my work/life gets more demanding, I turn to comfort foods when in fact turning to nutrition-rich foods supports me more fully.
When I was involved in theatre, I was so conscious that as an actor, I was my resource. Great self-care was a part of the job. More and more, I’m understanding that’s the case for an entrepreneur too.
Jamie
@Mark
“And then I tended to live on chocolate donuts. But, then, I was 19 years old, in college, lived on my bicycle, and I thought I was indestructible”
Were those the ones that were coated in chocolate-flavored wax? I was always Dolly Madison Zingers fan myself because you could peel off the slab-like frosting.
So many empty sugary calories.
@Lisa- Lisa’s Fist! Love it. And the Am I Hungry- good one! Thanks for both of those, and for sharing your heart here. I’m glad you’re out there helping people with this.
@Andrea- revamping your diet? Where are you heading with it? I’m curious about how you want to shift your eating.
@Cairene- I’m always glad to reinforce your intuition. If I’m ever going the other way, it hardly needs to be said, please don’t listen to me. 🙂
@Celia- I agree with you about needing a shift, and I’m curious- do you think it’s always the shift first? Sometimes I find that taking on a practice, against my ego’s will, can wear down my egoic resistance, and lift my heart and intention higher.
@Jamie- The theatre! I used to do backstage stuff- props. lighting design, all the techie stuff- this was years ago. And then I tended to live on chocolate donuts. But, then, I was 19 years old, in college, lived on my bicycle, and I thought I was indestructible. I’m guessing you took acting and theatre work to a different level than I did.
And yes, it’s not dissimilar, the entrepreneur thing from acting. I have a past client who landed a gig on Broadway just recently, and has used certain applicable portions of our marketing approach to move her career forward.
@Judy- Dolly Madison Zingers? No, they were the Hostess ones. They weren’t wax- just chocolate. Yum! (erp… yuck…)
I’ve never heard of the “Rule of Thirds” before. I need to try to implement that into my daily diet. I kinda do something similar, but I don’t save room for air. I just drink alot of water or tea while eating. It seems to make me fuller, faster.. and I don’t fill up on so much food (and calories).
I’ll also do a fast once every six months or so. Sometimes include a detox product or cleansing product with the fast, in order to help “cleanse” me out more efficiently.
@Johnny- I know the air thing is such a big deal, isn’t it? I notice I do the same thing in my schedule- I don’t leave time for air…