Reiki applied unconsciously. Discovered intuitive eating. Recognizing real hunger. Looking further into the distance. Standing on the grass.

October 21, 2024.

Last night, I had a bit of a stomachache because I ate unhealthy food. Then, without thinking, I placed a hand on my stomach, and the pain disappeared. As soon as I removed my hand, the pain returned. In that moment, I thought about Reiki. Did I just unconsciously apply Reiki? If so, then Reiki isn’t some kind of hocus-pocus but something natural that people do when they feel pain in a certain area—they place their hands on it. I believe that with this healing method, believing in it is important, as the placebo effect can also help in the healing process.

I was awake by 9 a.m. When I looked in the mirror, I saw my unibrow and have to say that I've gotten used to it by now. I no longer find it so terrible. It's fascinating how much familiarity can change perception.

I watched a documentary about intuitive eating. I had heard of this form of eating, though it's not really a diet, but had never really delved into it. Now, I have to say that this eating behavior resonates with me on an intuitive level because it removes almost all the restrictions and rules related to eating. The only rule you need to follow, as far as I understood, is to listen to your own body: recognizing when you're full and stopping, and only eating when you're genuinely hungry. However, it’s not a free pass for highly processed food, as I initially thought. I'll look into a suitable book on the subject. What I like about intuitive eating is that it teaches you to listen to your own body.

To practice intuitive eating correctly, you have to learn how to recognize real hunger. You should only eat when you're truly hungry. That's why I've looked deeper into what hunger really is and how to properly identify it. Here's what I've learned:

• True hunger isn't just a growling stomach.
• Feeling hungry doesn't necessarily mean your stomach feels light or empty.
• There’s a hunger scale that rates hunger from 1 to 10: 1 represents starving, irritable, and exhausted, while 10 stands for feeling stuffed and overfull. The middle of the scale corresponds to feeling satisfied, and your stomach feels light.
• There are different types of hunger. Besides physical hunger, there's also social hunger (wanting to eat when others are eating) and emotional hunger (eating to distract oneself or to cope with emotions like anger or sadness).

I'm heading to a workshop on job interviews, and I tune in to my body. Even though my stomach is relatively full and I don’t feel real hunger, I could still easily eat something like a burger or chocolate. I’d just eat it, even though I’m not actually hungry—and that’s the key. You should listen to your hunger cues, not to your appetite!

While I was waiting for the bus, I came up with a new health-promoting habit. Instead of standing on the pavement or sitting on the bench, I stood on the grass next to it, where I was connected to the earth, establishing grounding. Grounding doesn’t work on pavement. I could turn this into a habit by standing on the grass whenever it's available—like when waiting for the bus.

During the workshop, I deliberately sat farther from the whiteboard to train my eyes to look into the distance. Since I spend a lot of time on my smartphone or reading, this habit—sitting farther back during workshops or presentations—is a good way to train my eyes.

At home, I put out my toothbrush holder to give away, as I probably won’t need it in the near future, thanks to the new cloth method for brushing my teeth, which I’m already convinced of. What I like about this method is that I’m no longer dependent on a toothbrush. I can use any piece of cloth for brushing my teeth, or in nature, I could use a stick or a leaf from a tree. This means I can find a "toothbrush" anywhere in nature when I need it. Isn't that amazing? 🍀🙏

Today, I’m grateful for:

• Being excited about my new tooth-cleaning method.
• Consciously feeling hunger before eating.
• Discovering intuitive eating, which fits more with my lifestyle.