I dare you to take 5 minutes to eat one Hershey’s Kiss.  If you’re up for the challenge, I’ll walk you through it.  First, put the foil wrapped candy in your hand.  Look at it.  How did it get here?  Imagine the cocoa beans growing on the trees, the people harvesting them, roasting them, processing them into chocolate.  Think of all the steps that must be taken to shape them into the famously recognizable Kiss.  What about the process of packaging, shipping and stocking them on store shelves.  How many people did it take to get this Kiss into your hand.  Now pull the paper string and unwrap it.  Look at the smooth, soft surface of the chocolate.  Look at the color, the shape, the size.  Smell it.  What does it smell like?  Now place it on your tongue (resist the urge to bite it).  How does it feel?  How does it taste?  Allow it to slowly melt on your tongue, noticing the change in the texture, the creaminess of the chocolate as it coats your tongue.  Does the flavor change as it melts?  What other sensations do you notice?  If possible, allow the entire Kiss to melt without chewing.  Once it’s gone, how do you feel?  Pay attention to any thoughts and emotions you are feeling.  Do you want more?  Do you need more?   If you want another one, are you able to notice the desire to want more, acknowledge it but then let it pass.  Can you sit with the satisfaction of having just one?

This is an exercise in mindful eating.  It’s a practice that might allow you to be satisfied with less.

Compare this to the way you normally eat a Hershey’s Kiss.