Certain actions in the kitchen, as in other areas, are boring and not the most exciting. Changing your habits can bring renewal to the activity. For example, if slicing onions annoys me to no end, why not use ready-to-use frozen slices? Do you dislike peeling vegetables? Instead, opt for certain organic products, to be brushed before use, which do not need to be peeled. Do you hate fish with bones? With canned tuna or other, this pitfall will no longer occur.
We must think differently, and take the opposite view of action.
Identify the causes of boredom
When we become bored with an activity and we start to always do the same thing, to stagnate, or to procrastinate, it is interesting to look at the causes of this boredom.
The question I often like to ask is: what do I want to change? What exactly is bothering me? Is it the monotony of culinary preparation (cutting vegetables, preparation beforehand); the setting, always cooking alone at home; the feeling of always cooking the same thing; having to clean up afterwards…?
So, we can ask ourselves what we can change: what is the variable that will allow us to have more pleasure?
It is possible to buy vegetables already washed and cut; maybe cook with a friend; change the environment by playing music, a podcast, or candles; challenge yourself by trying other types of cuisine (for example: one day a week making an international dish: Indian, Thai, Italian, Portuguese cuisine, etc.)
The idea when there is routine or boredom is to instill something new. This echoes the notion of a scale of values mentioned in the first article in this series. It is important to always check that what we do is aligned with our values and therefore our objectives. If there is no longer any congruence between what I do and what I want, then pleasure will disappear in favor of constraint.
Take stock of your motivations
It also refers to your motivations for cooking. Are you more of a “stick” or “carrot” type? Do you do it more “against” or “for” something? Do you cook to lose weight, “be careful”, save money (rather “against”); or do you do it to please yourself, explore your creativity, try new things, take care of your health (rather “for”)? Rather than seeing the negative aspects that drive you to cook, turn your attention to the positive aspects. Don’t hesitate to look at your progress, where you come from as you go: seeing the improvements will only boost your morale and encourage you!
Also observe how you judge yourself.
Are you more critical, telling yourself “I’m terrible”, “I won’t be able to do it”, “I’m not someone who cooks anyway”? Or are you more the type to say to yourself “I can learn”, “I want to try”, “I know I can do it if I put my mind to it”?
Try repeating these phrases in your head, and see how your body reacts. That has nothing to do with it, does it?
While the first sentences are dense, heavy and appeal to a rather defeatist fixed mindset, the last ones are lighter and more flexible. They come from a more pleasant space and the body reacts less in contraction.
Reduce the intensity of your thoughts and their emotional impact
Observe your thoughts
You can get into the habit of observing your thoughts. For this, there is no need to do an hour of daily meditation… Just ask yourself the question when a pejorative thought crosses your mind: “Who is thinking? Who says that ? What part of me is expressing itself? » This allows you to put distance between you and your thoughts, and therefore reduce the intensity and emotional impact that they can have on you.
Sometimes, you may be surprised to see that the answer to these questions emerges automatically and very easily: “it was my mother who always told me that growing up”, “I have the impression that it is little me.” Depending on the answer, if you identify that it’s something that doesn’t really belong to you, you can say to yourself “since it’s not me speaking, I’m separating myself from it.” » If it is a part of you that is expressing itself and that you have identified, you can simply take a new look at this thought, become aware of what pushed this part of you to think that, and bring kindness to it.
So, rather than acting from a place of constraint and heaviness, you can little by little learn to change your thoughts using the power of transformational language. Here are some examples:
* “I will never succeed”: “I am capable of learning, I can try”
* “I am not someone who cooks”: “Until now I have never cooked, but that can change, my past does not define my future”
* “I absolutely have to cook”: “I choose to make time to cook”
Discover the complete file
Episode 1. Lesson #1: Why can’t I start cooking?
Episode 2. Lesson #2: How to motivate yourself to get into the kitchen
Episode 4. It’s decided, I’m starting to cook: Failure and learning by level
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