Abraham Lincoln said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
I’ve often appreciated the message in that quote. Now, I say, let’s not choose between the two. Let’s live a life that supports both, and let’s do so in each moment.
As I use tools such as the Body-Mind-Heart Scan, The Hunger and Fullness Scale, FEAST, Mindful Movement, the Self-Care Buffer Zone and other practices offered in Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, I know I’m listening to and honoring my body’s innate wisdom. My self-care practices are then uniquely tailored to my personal needs, wants, and goals. Therefore, they are rewarding and motivating and I return to them again and again, creating more healthful habits…which may very well add precious moments to my life.
When practicing mindfulness in my moment-to-moment activities, I am more aware of my internal cues (thoughts, emotions, body sensations, tastes, etc.) and more observant of my external environment (sights, sounds, smells, surroundings, other people, etc.). I’m more fully present, and I feel alive and vibrant–amazingly, even when some of the cues and experiences are what I might describe as uncomfortable (fear, pain, sadness, etc.). As a result, I experience more life in those moments.
The longer I’m on the Am I Hungry? journey, the more I recognize and appreciate the deep wisdom in its approach to optimal health. It is a life-affirming cycle of self-acceptance, self-care, and self-expression.
Let’s fully enjoy this journey called “Life!” together, and let’s choose both. Let’s eat and move mindfully, and let’s live vibrantly. Let’s create healthful life habits that may add more precious moments to our life and that definitely add more precious life to our moments!