If your body is free—physically, mentally, emotionally—that’s wonderful. But let’s go deeper:
- Are you happy?
- Are you living your ultimate truth?
- Are you connected—to yourself, your family, your community, and the natural world around you?
- Are you living your ideal day, or are you quietly limiting your potential?
Length or Quality?
Is life about the length of years… or the quality of moments?
- Jeanne Calment of France lived 122 years—the longest verified lifespan in history.
- Kane Tanaka of Japan reached 117.
- Robert Weighton of the UK lived past 112.
Incredible longevity.
But then we remember Martin Luther King Jr., gone at 39. Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison—each gone by 27.
Short lives, yes. But lives that shaped culture, moved hearts, and still echo today.
The Real Measuring Stick 📏
So what really counts?
- Is it years lived—or experiences embraced?
- Is it the absence of regret?
- Is it the impact we leave—the ripples that continue beyond us?
- Or is it simply the courage to live fully, love deeply, and be unapologetically human?
Perhaps the truth is this: living well is less about perfection, and more about embracing life in its imperfect perfection—so long as our choices don’t harm others or the world around us.
Bob Marley put it best:
“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I’m not perfect—and I don’t live to be—but before you start pointing fingers… make sure your hands are clean.”
What matters most to you?
how long you live, or how well you live?
A 52-year-old businessman once visited his doctor. He was concerned about aging. He wanted to know: “Will I live past 80?”
The doctor, trained in both Eastern and Western medicine, flipped through his file. Everything looked good:
- Healthy body composition, strong muscle tone.
- Normal fasting blood sugars.
- Blood pressure steady at 120/80.
- No major injuries, ailments, or restrictions.
- Plenty of energy, mental clarity, and restful sleep.
So the doctor began asking questions.
- Do you smoke or inhale chemicals? “No.”
- Do you drink alcohol? “Occasionally, a beer or wine.”
- Synthetic drugs, prescribed or recreational? “Rarely—just aspirin now and then.”
- Stressful lifestyle? “No, I keep life simple.”
- Sleep well? “Always. Eight hours every night.”
- Processed food? “Not really. I’m vegan, sometimes raw chocolate.”
- Sedentary lifestyle? “No, I ride my bike every morning.”
- Dark thoughts? “Rarely.”
- Promiscuity? “No, happily married 20 years, 2 kids.”
- Risk-taking sports? “Never tried.”
The doctor smiled.
“Good news: yes, you’ll live beyond 80 with these lifestyle habits.”
Then he leaned in with a cheeky grin:
“But here’s the bad news… what’s the point of living long if you never truly live?”
The Reframe
Longevity is not just about adding years to life. It’s about adding life to your years.
We measure blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and body fat—yes, that matters. But what about joy, adventure, play, intimacy, purpose, creativity?
You can live long and still feel empty. Or you can live fully, and your years expand with meaning.
Your Next Step: The SelfCare Framework (Do One Thing Today)
- LEARN — Health isn’t just the absence of disease. It’s the presence of energy, connection, and joy.
- DO — Choose one thing this week that feels adventurous or nourishing—dance, swim, call an old friend, try a new trail.
(This is one of the practical pivots I expand on in SelfCare: Lifestyle Medicine for the People.) - EMBODY — Say to yourself: “I am the type of person who doesn’t just live long, but lives fully.”
- TEACH — Invite someone to join you in that adventure. Ripple effect: when you live fully, others feel permission to do the same.
✨ Remember: it’s not just about reaching 80, 90, or 100. It’s about what fills the space in between. SelfCare is about thriving together—living long, living well, and living fully.
