5 Ways Mindfulness Can Help You Get Your Money’s Worth At The Seafood Buffet

Tell me if any of this sounds familiar: You constantly worry about what other people think of you. You quickly become angry in negative situations. You get full after a single plate of wild-caught North American snow crab legs. If this sounds like you, then good news: These problems can all be eased with the practice of mindfulness. While mindfulness originates from Buddhism, taking the time to center yourself can help anyone—of all creeds and walks of life. Especially in terms of how much you eat at the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet every Tuesday from 2:30 to 5:00 P.M. Here’s how:

1. Better Manage Your Feelings

Being mindful helps you notice your feelings before they become involuntary negative actions. When you feel angry, you’re less likely to lash out; when you feel sad, you’re less likely to withdraw from friends and family; when you feel full, you’re less likely to go home before 5:00 P.M. even though there’s still a lot of coconut jumbo shrimp left.

2. Achieve a Healthy Distance from Your Thoughts

When you sit down and let your mind rest, you should notice a switch from looking from your thoughts to at your thoughts. Suddenly, the things that pop into your mind so suddenly—is my girlfriend mad at me? Did I remember to turn off the stove? Didn’t my doctor specifically say I have to stop coming to the seafood buffet on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 5:00 P.M. if I want to live past 35?—seem less important. You can let them all drift by.

3. Feel and Accept Pain Instead of Running from It

Instinctively, all human beings avoid pain. But sometimes, pain is good, as it leads to greater happiness down the road. It’s just like, say, working out, or eating beyond your stomach’s limit at the seafood buffet.

4. Evaluate Situations More Clearly

It can be difficult to look at a stressful situation with clarity, but the way to get better at it is by—yes—practicing mindfulness. Are you getting a soda because you want a soda, or because you’re afraid people will judge you for filling a glass with lobster bisque?

5. Mindfulness Passes the Time

Since you’re not going to pay another $22.95 next time, you’ve been going to the bathroom at 5:00 P.M. and hiding in the vents. Practicing mindfulness gives you something to do until your next round of bottomless Yucatan tilapia bites.

Image: Pexels/Pexels