Supersized and Starving

I saw my first “mini” sized can of Coca Cola the other day. It was a shock because today most food and drink containers are getting larger, not smaller. The small cans were trendy and eye catching; they reminded me of how most food served in this country comes in obscenely large portions. Here’s my hypothesis of why:

1. Food in the US is relatively cheap.
2. Big is synonymous with better.
3. Advertising tells us that having more – food or anything – is a better deal.

Why does this work? I believe there is direct link between larger food portions and our growing sense of inner scarcity.

Have you ever used food to fill your emotional and/or spiritual emptiness? I have. There are many sources of hunger. Whether it is my body, mind, or soul that hungers for something, my first instinct is to reach for food. Food provides a very basic and primal satisfaction, but I find myself eating when I’m not hungry. I watch people around me gobbling huge portions and wonder what they are really hungry for. My guess: Many are often starved for connection.

Today, American families move on average, every five years. Most children no longer grow up living near their grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Yet there was a time when our home and neighborhood were for life. Families circled like wagon trains, providing security.  Without this groundedness and security, we feel unsafe and empty.

How do we fill the real hunger?

When I feel empty, I try looking inside to see what is eating me. Each time I reach for food without feeling hunger, I ask myself: What I am really hungry for? If I can find the honest answer, most of the time I’m able to turn away from food and do one of the following:

1. Slow down and be still
2. Connect to myself
3. Call or have a walk with a friend
4. Spend time in nature
5. Sleep
6. Write in my journal

What do you do to fill your sense of scarcity?

How do you experience abundance?