I’m sitting here on my last day in the Seychelles, staying at the Savoy Spa Resort. It’s a beautiful five-star setting, and the breakfast spread is splendid—pastries, exotic fruits, everything you could imagine.
But watching the people around me is fascinating. Despite our stomachs being only about the size of a fist, tables are loaded. People are eating way too much. We tell ourselves, “It’s just a holiday treat,” but in reality, overeating is a clear sign that you are out of resonance with your body.
The Disconnect: Swallowing More Than Just Food
If you were truly in tune with your body, you would never overeat. You would intuitively feel exactly what your body needs, how much it needs, and when it needs it.
I can talk about this because I was that guy. I used to binge at every hotel stay. In fact, back in the day, I’d binge eat and drink every night, then starve myself and over-exercise the next day to “compensate.” It was a cycle of self-punishment.
The root of this isn’t a lack of “willpower.” It starts in childhood.
How We Learned to Stop Feeling
When you were a child throwing a tantrum—which is normal for any toddler—were you guided through that emotion? Or were you punished for it?
Most of us were told, “Stop that. It’s not okay to be angry.” We were taught to swallow our anger. We were even told to suppress our joy (“Don’t get too excited or you’ll end up crying”). When you are forced to swallow your emotions, you eventually stop feeling your body altogether.
Our emotions live in our bodies. When you learn to experience, understand, and integrate a feeling, you build an awareness that resonates with your whole being. But if you’ve spent 40 or 50 years suppressing yourself, you end up as a successful, influential person who is still deeply unhappy. You overeat, you drink too much at night, you maybe even start an affair—anything to fill that void of disconnection.
Reconnecting: It’s Never Too Late
I used to be a miserable wreck. Today, the people who know me say my “aura” has changed completely. I am peaceful. I am calm. I am in connection with myself.
I no longer have the need to overeat. My body and I are on the same team. I start my morning with protein, have some porridge and dried fruits to replenish after a workout, and then I simply go about my day—swimming, walking, sightseeing.
That is what it means to enjoy life to its fullest. It’s not about the luxury of the hotel; it’s about the luxury of being in tune with yourself and allowing yourself to experience every emotion safely.
