Cooking: The Therapy That Everyone Is Raving About

Cooking is rewarding at two levels, making it a super-therapy if you may. There is a sense of accomplishment; of being successful when you cook a dish or an entire meal. Adding to this blissful feeling is the appreciation and compliments that come your way from friends and family who savour your cooking.

When you are cooking, you need to be completely focused on the job. From chopping to garnishing and roasting to frying, it all happens in a matter of minutes and demands your undivided attention. This translates into a Zen zone of sorts, where you are completely in touch with your present, without the regrets of past and anxieties of future. Furthermore, the sound of an ingredient crackling, the aroma of a meal getting ready, and of course, the visual delight of a colourful dish coming to life, all serve as a an experiential antidote to stress.

Similar to other forms of art therapy, cooking lets you express your thoughts and preferences in a creative manner. It helps release tensions arising out of lack of self-expression in other domains of life, thus serving as a cleansing exercise of sorts.

Cooking elevates your sense of belonging. When you gather your loved ones over a self-cooked meal, there is a warm and fuzzy feeling that surrounds you. Further, it gives you a topic of conversation when meeting other cooking enthusiasts and before you know it, you
become part of a closed-knit community
with a common passion.

Some say that money saved, is money earned. When you start cooking your favourite dish indoors instead of stepping out every other day, you suddenly realize the amount of money that you are saving. Needless to say, when you splurge it on a tangible purchase or invest it, the sense of accomplishment you get is huge.