Day 2 of Jeff Goins’ Slow Down Challenge is short but (literally) sweet.

I just received my copy of Jeff’s latest book The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing – I say received, as I was blessed to receive a copy from Michael Hyatt in a recent giveaway. (by the way, you should pick up your copy A.S.A.P. – at time of posting, it is 40% off on Amazon – HERE).

So here is my response to Day 2:

Take time to eat.

Like, chew your food already – seriously.

At first I thought “I got this one down” – I love cooking, and I really enjoy eating dinner with the family. We all sit at the table, take a moment to thank God for all the blessings, as well as the opportunity to sit together as a family and eat.

Our dinner lasts quite some time, often with conversations about the day.

Box checked, challenge completed.

But then I remembered that I eat lunch too. Oh.

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. It ends up being just a pause. 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.

So today I took the time to enjoy my lunch.

Due to circumstances, I still ended up at my desk, but I did nothing but eat this time.

I carefully enjoyed each bite, taking the time to notice the flavors.

I enjoyed a burrito bowl from Chipotle – for those who don’t know, it was a large oval filled with cilantro-lime rice, romaine lettuce, barbacoa meat, black beans, tomato salsa, corn, and cheese.

And it was insanely good. I enjoyed every bite.

So what did I learn?

1. Enjoy the pause
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.

2. Enjoy every bite

Don’t rush. Take the time to chew – its better for your digestion, and you get to enjoy the flavors longer this way.

3. Enjoy the option of choice

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

More than just the food, take time to notice the smells and the textures – this really makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.

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.

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.

That being said, I am still trying to figure out if I need to eat my lunch slowly everyday, or if I just need to eat from Chipotle everyday.

What did you notice while eating today?