Happy Valentine’s Day! Did you get chocolates this Valentines Day from your sweetie or did you decide to give yourself a special treat? If so, this exercise is for you! When I was younger (and not as wise) I used to demonize sweets and put them into a “bad” category. Now I look to indulging in sweets as a special treat and I would like to think that I do so mindfully and with care. I love chocolate! I believe that when you do anything mindfully you get to enjoy the whole experience and it can feel SO satisfying! You may even find that after doing this exercise you no longer have the desire to eat the whole box of chocolates- you may just be happy with eating one piece! Enjoy!

To do this exercise you will need a piece of delicious chocolate and a few minutes of your time.

Begin by finding a comfortable seat. Think about how much effort it took to get this piece of chocolate into your possession. It had to be made from a cocoa bean that was harvested by a farmer for an extremely long time with care and love, most likely added milk and sugar, concocted into this wonderful and delicious piece of chocolate by the hands of a highly skilled individual, packaged and put into a store or into a chocolatiers shop, bought by a consumer and given to you just so you could enjoy eating it at this very moment in time. How amazing!

Slowly take the wrapper off of the chocolate. Place the piece of chocolate in your open palm. Admire the beauty and craftsmanship of this particular piece of chocolate. What shape it is? What color is it? Is the color rich and bold or is it light and airy? Is it smooth or rough looking?

Then pick up the piece of chocolate with your fingers and smell the chocolate. Does it smell sweet or rich? Does the smell of the chocolate make your mouth water a bit?

Then take very small bite of the chocolate and let it rest on your tongue. Just let the chocolate melt in your mouth and notice the flavor. Is the texture creamy and velvety? Is the flavor of the chocolate sweet or rich? Does the flavor change as you close your mouth? Savor the flavor of the chocolate and enjoy the richness of the experience. After you are done with that very small bite, feel free to enjoy the rest of the piece of chocolate in the same mindful way, eating it slowly and enjoying every last bite.

Enjoy your chocolate and savor the moment!