Baking as Therapy

It’s not a coincidence that the shops ran out of flour and yeast when the Corona isolation took us by storm. If you didn’t bake before you definitely started baking or at least seriously thought about it. It can feel really good to bake. And there are many reasons why baking will give you peace of mind.

Focused relaxation

Reading a recipe makes us focus on a task. Step by step we read the ingredients, do the measuring and follow the method. We have to be sure we get the details right and the measurements exactly like the recipe. When we are so intensely focused on that specific recipe we can’t hear those loud monkeys chatting in our heads. While baking makes us focused, we are free to relax from stress and anxiety and give our mind that space it needs.

Control from start to end

Baking has a clear start and end. We can follow the whole process which gives us a sense of control and satisfaction to be a part of the whole chain. It’s good to feel a bit of control when the world around you is spiralling out of control. Baking also engages many of the senses from smell, taste, sight to touch. This helps us be even more present and in that way we can forget about the world’s problems and just focus on our cake.

Happy place

You might have strong memories from childhood of a yummy freshly baked cake filling up the whole house with its sweet smell? Going back to that time can really empower you and give you a sense of belonging and meaningfulness. Even more if you are from a different culture and have roots from somewhere else. Baking that childhood cake (if it was a good memory) is really good for your wellbeing and will take you back to that happy place with positive thoughts.

Calmness in repetition

Are you one of those people that prefer a hand whisk over an electrical egg beater? Well there is something therapeutic in repeating and being physical in your baking. Baking contains a lot of physical activities like mixing, kneading and rolling. Something happens with your self-connection when you are in that flow of repetitively beating those eggs and sugar to a fluffy mix. Being in that flow is positive for your self-esteem.

Give away love

If you don’t want to eat everything you bake giving away a freshly baked cake can really make you feel good. In a lot of cultures giving a way food is act of love. And for some people who may struggle to show their love in words, a cake can be a great way to tell it. Giving something without expecting anything in return is a true act of kindness and plants a seed of wellbeing.

But please bear in mind, if you are getting stressed in the kitchen and you are not finding it enjoyable at all to bake, then baking is maybe just not for you.

For all the bakers out there, just keep on baking and stay positive minded.

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