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STOP is an easy way to practice being mindful in the face of stress. When you notice something has triggered you and you are about to react, follow the steps below:

Slow down

Take a breath

Observe: what are you feeling in your body? What are you thinking? What other possibilities exist?

Proceed, considering multiple possibilities

It helps to bring an attitude of kindness to this practice, accepting your thoughts and feelings as they are. It also helps to bring curiosity to explore the situation with new eyes and an openness to new possibilities. To whatever arises, ask yourself: Could it be OK?

You can practice this in small moments, developing a skill that will serve you well for more challenging “crises.”  

• Slow down. Follow hunger cues. This is much easier to determine when you take a second to first ask yourself, “Am I hungry?”
• Welcome the silence. Atmosphere is a huge factor when eating. Start by removing distractions and electronic devices. Avoid overindulging in unhealthy foods, which often happens while our attention is elsewhere.
• Enjoy the flavor. Now that it’s quiet and there are no distractions, you can realign your attention to the aromas and textures of your food. 
• Learn about food. Take time to find out what is in-season in your community. Try visiting your local farmers market for a great look at what foods are available this time of year.

By practicing mindful eating, you may be surprised to see a shift towards healthier cravings and portion sizes—giving your body the balance and quality it deserves. When you are mindful, you slow down and enjoy your food. You are also less likely to overeat because your body has time to realize you are full.

Mindfulness improves well-being. Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life. Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events. By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.

Mindfulness improves physical health. If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can: help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, , improve sleep, and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties.

Mindfulness improves mental health. In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including: depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, couples’ conflicts, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder