Not your typical WIAW, but go with me here. We’ll talk food for thought. My thought diary on this Wednesday, sound good? I’m hoping Jenn will approve. 
Grab a fork and dig in.
What if. Yes, what if you didn’t know how to measure?
Would you miss knowing your weekly running mileage? Your pace? Your PR’s and your PB? Not if you didn’t know it. You’d run to run. You’d run because you can. You’d run because you enjoy the movement, the feeling, the zoning out, the scenery, and the time alone or with others.
What if you couldn’t measure ingredients? Would you throw everything together and hope for the best? No, you’d probably taste more real food. Keep simple and savor the simple things.
What if you couldn’t measure your height, weight, body fat, etc. Would you know if you were healthy? I think being healthy starts from within.
What if you couldn’t measure success by money or fame. Would you be successful? Yes, because success doesn’t define you. It’s often overcoming adversity that does. Am I right?
What if you couldn’t measure up? What if you couldn’t measure up to someone else’s gifts, their talents, their strengths? Well, thank GOD we really can’t, and thank GOD we don’t have to.
What if we replaced the word measure with the word value?
I think we’d all spend more time VALUING our health, our time, our strengths, our weaknesses, our loved ones, and even the food we eat.
Am I working on this? You better believe it! Do I still struggle, yes of course. But our worth, our value, is more than a feeling. It’s a gift. Might as well accept it and cherish it!
FOOD for THOUGHT WIAW Diary complete!
Now, what’s for dessert? Maybe chocolate covered confessions? Just kidding
What do you VALUE?
Cheers,
Corny Cotter (LC)
Back to regular workout and food related posts later this week and maybe even a giveaway.
Thank you for such beautiful words and thoughts. This is definitely something I need to remember to help keep life in perspective!
oh we all do, don’t we? easier said than done, but it can be DONE! yes m’am!
wow, do I love this. Value vs. measure. And all of those things about measuring up vs. just throwing caution to the wind? I need to practice more of that. I think I did, last week, while in Mexico. Lots of food for thought this week, formulating ideas for a few posts 🙂
oh i can’t wait!!!!
This is the first time I have ever read your blog. I actually discovered it from the link on “Fitting It All In”. All I can say is THANK YOU. I needed to read this kind of post and I am adding you to my google reader! 🙂
oh i am so glad! so good to “meet” you amelia! I am glad this helped. a daily reminder for me as well. xxoo
BEST post ever. For real.
xxoo to you friend. happy friday!
Am I ever glad I saw this post! Lindsay – what simple yet incredible truth you display in this post – you are so right. Measure vs. Value – I love thinking about the difference there. I know it sounds like nothing, but I can’t shake a solid 5 lbs and even though I *know* it doesn’t matter in life, there are times it does affect how I value myself. I hate that, but it’s true! I’m feeling not quite myself, more sluggish, not as good in my clothes, etc – so I know I need to make some changes, but I need to remember real TRUTH in that my value is connected not with those 5 lbs or even if my jeans are tighter. Thanks for this reminder in the bigger scheme of life! So much love to you. 🙂
woman, you don’t need to lose 5lbs. Or measure them. But i know the feeling, the sluggish feeling. I think Satan likes to play with our minds. Stand firm with God’s shield of truth. That’s what he is asking of you! You are valued as a wife, friend, daughter, and so much more. And i love ya!
I recently read an article related to piano teaching about… basically the value of failure, and how struggling through music lessons can really help students become high achievers! Love the idea to focus more on the value than the measure.
great article! its so true too! and so our failures make us stronger and thus we achieve more than success, yes?
I love love LOVE this post! You are so right on and I wish everyone in the world could read this! It reminded me so much of one of my favorite poems…
SUCCESS
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty,
To find the best in others,
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
wow, i love Ralph! He puts this in perspective to simply. Truth. now, i must read this daily and live it!
This post is truly beautiful. And needed more than you can imagine. I VALUE all of the truths you listed: success doesn’t define me; my worth isn’t measured by my weight or outward appearance; a good workout isn’t about time or distance, but health and vitality. Even though I wholeheartedly believe these truths, it’s so easy to forget them as I go about my day-to-day life. Thank you for the reminder to replace “measure” with “value!” <3
it is so easy to keep measuring! i know. We are bombarded with it daily, without even knowing it. I think what’s helping me is God’s word. He reminds me of that truth. Phew!
Hands down best post I have ever read! Brilliant! (arg and by saying that I totally measured and compared without even meaning too)
i think we all do. But at least we can now toss those thoughts away, yes?!
I love this way more than a WIAW food diary! Thank you for posting!
oh madison, thank you! i always love hearing from you!
That’s a really interesting question – I like it!! Value is certainly better 🙂
sure is. Just need to remember it!
Love this post! I have to admit, most WIAW posts aren’t that interesting (to me – I’m not bashing it at all, just not my thing). But I love what you did with it Lindsay!
haha, and to be honest, i didn’t have to many food pics, so the real WIAW wouldn’t have worked. 😉
i’ve taken a huge step in stopping the measuring compulsiveness – yesss i do measure things like oatmeal and what not but not strict just scoop wise – but it’s so less stressful and silly not to mention!
i remember you posting about this and i SEE it in your posts. Its so refreshing julie! keep it up!
oh goodness, I needed this! I need to measure knowledge in what I’ve learned not just the grades I’ve earned. I need to measure my growth and not try to strive for loss! You are a breath of fresh air and I will always value those!
oh friend, loved hearing your from you. you are my breath of fresh air, always!
p.s.
You’re grades have no value, like you said, it’s the value of your time invested in learning!
Great post!
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately…I’ve definitely fallen into the pressure of what society wants and demands. But I’m learning 🙂
Hope you remember your words and continue on this road!
<3
Sometimes I really think you’d be an awesome motivational speaker. I guess for now you’re just a motivational blogger. 🙂
PS, at least once a week, I go running and leave my watch at home. I intentionally don’t look at the clock before I leave, and I run a random route so that I really have no way of thinking about distance. It is always fun and relaxing. 🙂
SO true! My HRM died on Monday and I’ve been without. Honestly…its been a little freeing!
good! keep it dead for a while. tee hee
Fabulous post! It all starts from within. Stop measuring and start living 🙂
I love this!!
good to hear from you susan! xxoo
I love this Cotter! It really puts life in perspective. I didn’t get a chance to read your “WIAW” yesterday, but I am so glad I caught it this morning, because valuing my health rather than measuring it is a great intention to start the day 🙂
oh this makes me happy. I hope it made your day even more valuable.
Oh, how I needed to hear this today Lindsay! I have been struggling with my weight issues again as they make me feel less desirable. Sometimes I just want to hide and never go out and then I read posts like yours and realize that God is intimately involved in my life. He sends encouragement to me through so many vessels. Thank you for being one of them.
Nicole
you are very healthy already! God has blessed you in so many ways, inner and outer. Embrace it!
Love this post! I value my life, my family, my health & God! All great things that make me what I am. I also value being able to use all those things to bless someone else b/c there’s great value in that. <3 it!! 😀
that i see! i love it.
love everything about this post!!! Michelle and I are trying to do just that. Look at the value (true meaning and feelings) not just numbers etc.
we now sit and discuss more about how we are so blessed with our life and that we need to continue to be thankful and value every moment of it!
what a sweet post! i value my health and the time i have on this earth to spend with those i love!
i can tell, just by your words and what you practice. It’s contagious!
Value. I wrote in my journal this week, how to make my time more “value added.”
Really encourages you to look beyond a label.
i love that. value added, not measured!
you are so smart 🙂 It took me a long time to stop combing the scale with my value, but gosh it feels good to let it go
i just added you to my post too about a dairy free resource!
i don’t own a scale,b but there are a lot of things i tend to measure, and it’s not important. Lesson learned! yes!
Oh…. I am working on that too!!!! Value. I need to value everything and treat every little blessing I have for what it is- a blessing. a gift. HUGS!!!!!!
i think you do! just need to value yourself too! xxoo
oooohh!!! chocolate covered confessions? now that sounds like a ton of fun! 😉 liked the variation of WIAW and the food for thought- sometimes food for thought is just as important as real food.
hehe, sounds like a good book, doesn’t it?! so, no bahamas. boo! I’ll send healthy bites instead.
I know..I’m sad that the Bahamas was moved (well sad for you…but not sad b/c I get to see H for longer!) but I’m also not sad b/c healthy bites are about the best thing I’ve ever heard…I’m so freaking pumped. I will take a photo shoot with them. I might name one of the bites and take it everywhere with me for a day…you know? Document the life of a healthy bite athlete??? 🙂
wow…this is an awesome thing to think about…or more like awesomely scary for my little OCD brain! no mileage tickers, say wat?!?! lol. but having a brain melt-down would probably be a good thing, just like there are times when i have to ween myself from the garmin for mental sanity’s sake.
i like ur word flip and will try to keep the value trick in mind when i start to obsess over things that i really shouldn’t.
yes, do it! value those runs, with or without mileage/pace/etc/ But i know you will. <3
Wow! These words so spoke to my heart, exactly what I needed to hear. It’s so easy to get caught up in all of the numbers and meauring and constant comparisons to others. Thanks for the perspective 😀
i know, easy to do. that’s why i had to remind myself and post this. Hugs!
A nice change of pace on this day full of so much (delicious) food. And definitely something to think about…
Your food for thought definitely got me thinking. I care too much about measuring… love numbers! Love knowing everything! Valuing life, health, loving others… those things are waaay more important.
Love that you signed off corny cotter. 🙂 You aren’t, by the way!
ahh friend, measure no more. Only know that i your life is so valuable. I admire that, and your love for it!
Definitely need to work in value and not measure in every aspect of my life – great post!
Great post!! Numbers rule our lives. It’s an excellent way of challenging and pushing ourselves to be “better.” But, “better” isn’t always happy or healthy. Then again, the definitions for “better,” “happy” and “healthy” are all so ambiguous. Ahh the complicated cycle of life. 🙂
ahh so true, yet we make it what we want. right? Pushing ourselves to be better should mean be a better LIVER of LIFE!
This is excellent. So simple yet so true. Sometimes it seems like we are obsessed with measuring EVERYTHING doesn’t it?
yes, and it needs to stop! phew.
this is my favorite post of yours, EVER. and you KNOW that’s saying a lot, because you know how much your words mean to me.
I participated in a class exercise yesterday, about what is important to you. (we had a deck of cards with values on them, had to categorize them into “most important, least important, and middle”. then the most important, we had to narrow by top 10. THEN by top 5 (that was difficult!). the five we chose, we had to talk about whether these things are showing up in our life, and how to align our values to them if they are not there. VERY good stuff. I am still deep in thought from THAT exercise, and now this. you are amazing – THANK YOU!
oh wow! i wish i could have been there with you in that class. i am now pondering those exact thoughts! i want to know your answers, i bet they are pretty powerful friend.
love you!
THANK YOU for this, Lindsay. Incredible perspective.
thank you friend. Love hearing from you!
This was my favorite WIAW! I’me sharing this one! Hands down, I agree 100%!
you are too good to me. and i am still trying to send that email reply. LOL! Just know it’s coming!
You are so wise. So wise.
xo
Woman you are just nailing it with these posts lately! It’s been a while since I’ve run without thinking about mileage or time. Maybe it’s time to value that I can run and just run…I think I’m going to do this Saturday morning. Thanks for always reminding us of the important things in LIFE! xoxo
do it! i have yet to use a garmin, watch, etc. since being able to run again. now that is freeing, like a yoga run!
p.s.
guess what?! the hurricane postponed the triathlon! ARGH!!
You see….when I saw a post titled “Food for Thought” followed by “not my typical post” I just braced myself because…
every post you write, to me, gives me a super healthy nutrient rich plate of food for thought. So I was all “Dis Gon be GOOD.”
I actually just got up and poured another glass of wine and sat back down to read (that was KIND-of just coincidental though…lol).
Anyway. That is all. I was right. I am wordless…no measure to thank you of course but I value the funk out of ya.
i’ll pour another glass for this comment.
😉
I love this. Lately I’ve been trying not to care as much about what the “calories burned” are on my monitor and just be done because I feel done. And I’ve been only eating what I truly want to eat, even if that means making the same thing for every meal or making a separate meal from the one I’ve made for my fiance. It just makes me happier.
Great food for thought, love.
i agree. i think we can truly nourish our minds and bodies without measuring!
Food for thought?? Yes please and thank you! <3
you are welcome! now go get your food for fuel, healthy bites!
I’m trying to make them last this time! (yeah, we’ll see how well THAT goes! I’m ready to chow down the whole dozen of the dark chocolate espresso bites!!)
I love your motivating posts…so if you end up doing that chocolate covered confessions, I’m all for that too. 😉
i think i will! chocolate confessions just sounds fun! haha
Nicely said 🙂 It’s funny… things that have TRUE value for me, aren’t “valuable” in the monetary/”stuff” sense at ALL…. the best things in life are free, am I right??
exactly!! like time with your little one or time to YOURSELF! p.s i’m ready for you come visit now.
being health starts from within! yessss love that so much! i seriously squealed when I read that because sometimes I struggle with where I am at and its when I am comparing instead of just valuing what is genuinely me!
you my friend, have so much value. YOur job for one, your courage, your strength! great value!
YES YES YES!! This is EXACTLY where I’m heading with the whole #simply concept. Getting back to basics, of doing the things that I love because I LOVE them not because I can tick it off my list, or because it’ll get me to xx miles this week or because my pants will fit better. I do what I love because it’s part of who I am, what drives me – what I VALUE as a person and what I VALUE in others. It’s a work in progress for SURE but absolutely where my head is at too my friend. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. and YOU! xo!
i think our heads share a brain. I love your thought process and your heart. they follow each other in the right direction.
Love your VALUE of life, health, and family!
I value my family and the time I get to spend with them. Thanks for this post today!
that’s more valuable than gold!
This post has me in tears. Thank you. I needed this. God speaks through you to me almost every time you post! I can’t wait for our chat!!
friend, i can’t wait to chat either. You are VALUABLE to me!
<3
I value chocolate. Does that work here? and wine. If they come in combo, so much the better.
you know me, anything works with wine.
I cannot even express how much I love this post! <3
i love that. wordless is good.
Beautiful words! (Also, have you ever read the children’s book You Are Special by Max Lucado? This post reminded me of it!)
i have heard of that book. Love all of lucado’s work. I should buy this for me and for my nieces/nephews!
Ah, food for thought. I like this among all of the WIAW stuff. Thank you <3
This is an absolutely FABULOUS post! So refreshing and a great dose of inspiration!!!
Thanks friend. Totally God’s words spoken out of heart.
Wow! I needed this today, thank you! What an awesome concept…focus on what we have rather than what we need to have 😉
yes, so much more valuable this way too, right?
You are awesome! What an amazing post, you are a talented and beautiful writer! So happy to be enjoying your blog:)
friend, you are too kind. I enjoy YOU! so thank you for being part of my day!
YES!! My favorite post in the history of… ever.
This is what I have been struggling with since I’ve come back from vacation. Sometimes I feel like I’m playing so many ‘games’ and measuring far too much, that I can’t possibly keep up. I’m kind of done with that. I’m done with the numbers, I’m done with measuring. I used to think that only meant the scale, or how I measure up in terms of fitness or nutrition, but it’s seeping into many aspects of my life. In tossing all of that away, I am more mindful of who I am, and what I am doing every single moment.
More and more I am learning to lean on God and trust that He values me in ways I cannot possibly imagine. That’s now my favorite word. Value.
Thanks LC, God is certainly using you in amazing ways <3
oh friend, i can so relate. Thank Goodness for God’s grace, his mercy, his love, his compassion. THat is valuable! Amen!
This kind of food feeds my soul. Thank you for sharing a part of what makes you so wonderful <3
i hope you are filled and ready to snuggle up with comfort. oohh now thats corny. hehe. but true!
Yes! A WIAW post that didn’t make me want to stuff my face with nut butter and oats! haha Lovely my dear. I value so many things, but I guess that in and of itself is something to be valued.
haha, good. I value that!
Can I just come live with you? Haha I think I’d have a much calmer life/mindset! Thanks for your great WIAW post, definitely the most powerful I’ve read!
of course! come on down! i’ll get the kelp noodles ready. hehe
I absolutely love the famous failures graphic, I’ve never seen that before and it’s great! My type-A personality would be screaming with no measurement, but it would probably be good for me. 🙂
i know, it was a great poster! i snagged it off pinterest of course! value your time this weekend, you trained for FUN, remember?!
You are awesome, I keep repeating that to myself that week and I really appreciate the reminder!
Lindsay, I love your thoughts! Seriously. It’s inspiring. And so well said. I’m inspired to work on value-ing more and measuring less. 🙂
me to friend. valuing is much more worth my time! agreed!!
This is great food for thought! I often try and remember back when I was a child and measured success from how compassionate, caring, and kind a person was rather then how big their house was and I never measured, weighed and analyzed food and was perfectly happy. I love the idea of valuing our food and bodies not analyzing and comparing them!! Fantastic post my friend!
oh i agree 100%! that’s much more valuable to me too! oh to be a child.
Wow!! Just wow! This spoke to my heart and know so many more that this will touch — sharing with friends for sure 🙂 Thank you for blessing us with this wisdom.
jenny, you are so encouraging. Thank YOU! God’s words, not mine.
Love this post and I LOVE that you put it up for WIAW.
thanks, i didn’t know if i could swing it. haha
I love Corny Cotter. This really got me thinking… life has become SUCH a numbers game for me lately. I may take a break from all the measuring. In 1.5 weeks, of course.
Fantastic, thoughtful WIAW.
i’m counting down the days friend, the only “measure” i allow!
Awww, thanks for the reminder xo
xxoo to you friend.
I gotta say, I love this type of WIAW so much more. YES – love the idea of valuing not measuring. Valuing keeps us from comparing too.
i agree lindsay! this is wonderful! full of such thought and wiseness 🙂
exactly!! right where i was going with this!
Now this kind of WIAW post is right up my alley!
Love food for thought any day of the week!
oh that makes me happy. i like food for thought too! and i like your alley.