The 5 Secret Sources of Joy that Kirby Will Never Know

Take time to eat.

Are you always in a rush? Do you eat your food like Kirby or PacMan?

Bro, do you even chew?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Kirby games, but that guy has some crazy eating habits.

As much as I criticize, when it comes to lunch, I am guilty of cramming food into a short lunch break, and seeing the meal as more of an inconvenience than anything else. I have gotten into the bad habit of eating at my desk, checking emails or even reading a chapter or two of a book, while eating.

Time for a Pause

So today, take the time to enjoy lunch.

Carefully enjoy each bite, taking the time to notice the flavors.

You may notice that food is insanely good. Enjoy every bite.

When we stop, slow down and take the time to enjoy food, there are other things you can also enjoy.

The 5 Secret Sources of Joy that Kirby Will Never Know

1. Enjoy the pause

While some games make a habit of insisting you take a break (Nintendo Wii and Virtual Boy) it really is a good idea to put the game down for a bit. In the same way, it is very healthy to put work on “pause,” if nothing else, for your lunch.  If you are at work, don’t eat at your desk. If you can, get away. Change the scenery – if the weather is mild, get outside and enjoy the fresh air (if the air outside is bad, then stay inside!) Try exploring and finding a new location to sit and eat. Get away from whatever it is that you are working on – the mind needs a chance to reset.

2. Enjoy every bite

Don’t rush. Take the time to chew – it’s better for your digestion, and you get to actually enjoy the flavors longer this way. Life is not a speedrun, and you are not Sonic the Hedgehog. Slow down.

3. Enjoy the option of choice

I have a problem. It is very much a first world problem. I have more video games than I have time to play them. If you are reading this post, you can probably relate.

Even consider the amount of free-to-play games that exist, there really is no excuse for saying “I have nothing to play.”

I need to work on my gratitude of all the choices I have.

In the same way, be thankful that you have a meal, don’t see it as an interruption but as a chance to exercise choice.

Don’t like your food? There are hungry out there that wish they had the meal that you hate.

No, that does not make it taste any better, but it is a chance to stop and be grateful for what we do have. And often, we have far more than we realize. If you don’t like what you are eating, then make something different. Eating out is easy, but it is also expensive. There are many benefits to cooking a meal yourself.

4. Enjoy your surroundings

Many video games, and especially recent open world games, have more to see that most of us will ever notice. I know I am guilty of trying to speed through stages, quests, or games so fast that I don’t appreciate all the surroundings and details in the game.

Meals can be the same way.

More than just the food, take time to notice the smells and the textures – this really makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. There is tremendous beauty in the world around us, even in the most simple of settings.

5. Enjoy others’ company or enjoy solitude

Do you spend much of your day alone? Then find some other people to eat with – enjoy the change of pace. As I mentioned in my series “Who’s Your Player 2,” connection is a much needed element in our lives.

Do you spend much of your day around others? Then get away and enjoy a few moments of solitude, reflections, and thinking.

I hope you will take the time to stop and enjoy your meals as well. Like me, you may only realize what you have been missing when you finally stop to notice the many sources of joy.

Something that Kirby will never understand.

What did you notice while eating today?