C – Cook

Cook is my pick for the letter C in the ABC’s of Mental Wellness. Believe it or not, cooking has a ton of psychological benefits, especially if it’s done with others! If cooking isn’t your thing, no worries! Check out the previous posts or even the following ones for tools that might suit you a little better. If you’ve never tried cooking though, I suggest trying this Mental Wellness skill out! Cooking is an amazing mindfulness tool. I know I keep going on and on in these posts about mindfulness but mindfulness is an awesome way to take you out of an anxious mind and bring you back to the present moment.

How can it help?

At times cooking can feel like a chore instead of a fun enjoyable activity. However, there are a ton of ways to make this activity fun, engaging, and creative. Cooking for others is a nurturing act. Food is necessary for survival, therefore, feeding others is a caring gesture which can help us feel more positive. How good does it feel to host people for a party and everyone comments on the excellence of your buffalo cauliflower bites? Trust me, it feels pretty amazing. When others thank us for an act of service or rave over the deliciousness of something we created, self esteems get boosted which helps in feeling better! 

Another positive way that cooking can help is through self nourishment. Making meals that are healthy can provide you with energy and give you lots of good nutrients to keep you going throughout the day. In this respect, it is a double form of self care. Cooking can help with coping and eating helps provide energy and nourishment. Eating healthy is also a great way to improve mental wellbeing. And let’s be real, hanger (anger caused by hunger) is a real thing. To aid in reducing hanger, cook a yummy meal, release some serotonin (chemicals in the brain that help you feel good).

As mentioned before, cooking is a mindful act. When you’re cooking, you need to be focused on the task at hand or else there could be some serious problems. Knives and flames aren’t great if you’re not paying attention. Along with mindfulness, cooking can stimulate creativity,  and concentration which can reduce levels of anxiety and stress. Go ahead, give it a whirl!

I love The Awkward Yeti Instagram.

Products I love 💕

Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F*ck is a New York Times Best Seller and an incredible, fun, easy culinary adventure you definitely want to go on.

The Forest Feast is the perfect recipe book (that is also a New York Times best seller) for quick, simple, yummy recipes that are vegetarian friendly. P.S. the cocktail section is amazing!