First, I start the day with a practice of prayer / Metta / declaration of intent. Central to it is the intention to live a life of harmonious balance, walk the 'middle path' or in Hebrew 'Derech Hamelech' , the Regal Path: neither deficit, nor excess; neither depriving myself, nor excessive self-indulging; neither grasping, nor wasteful.
Then, as an example on how I apply my intention to real life, I consciously and intentionally eat chocolate every day. I have not eaten chocolate or any sweets (or sugar, wheat, dairy, wine, yeast, etc) for years because I was too sick to handle a lot of foods (and I did indulge many years prior to that). So now I eat a square or two of chocolate every day. Not eating as much as to make myself sick, and not eating as little as to perpetuate self-pity 'poor me, look, I can't even enjoy chocolate' victim mindset. So I eat just right, slowly, and savour every bite. I also apply this strategy to everything else, including shopping (I am recovering from addictions to food and to shopping); and I also use it to declutter, let go of the unnecessary, keep the useful.
Total freedom is to eat or not eat, drink or not drink, shop or not shop as and when it's right, healthy and fulfilling; neither too much, nor too little, but just right.
It takes freedom in order to enjoy fulfillment; and self-love takes a great deal of wisdom and daily cultivation.
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