I was watching my children play the other day and was amazed at how clever they are. They enthusiastically live by their instincts. They are eager to learn and curious about everything. Children are not yet marred by many of the social constraints and insecurities that adults are. Below are a few lessons they can teach us that will go a long way in helping us to live healthy, happy lives.

Food is fuel. When was the last time you saw a child eat half a birthday cake or half a pizza? For that matter, when was the last time you saw a child overeat and then complain about being too full? Kids come with an internal hunger regulator. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Somewhere along the line we lose this regulator and eat for reasons other than hunger. Eat like a kid. Usually a taste or two of cake is plenty. The opposite is also true; kids do not deprive themselves, when they are hungry they eat.

Move your body, and don't mind the weather. Hot, cold, windy, or rainy; it doesn't matter. Any day is a good day to get outside and play. Our bodies were designed to run, throw, climb and jump. In the secret language of children, the word "fitness" doesn't exist. It's called "having fun." Next time it rains, go jump in the puddles or run as fast as you can in the rain.

Let go of guilt. When was the last time you heard a child say, "I should not have eaten that piece of cake"?  Probably never. Unlike adults, kids do not beat themselves up when they make a mistake. They examine the details of the outcome through curious eyes. Mistakes are often gateways to new experiences and personal growth. Guilt that is inappropriate stems from shame. Now, there are times when we should feel appropriate guilt and you will see this in our children, often when they hurt someone. But, we should let go of guilt that comes from being ourselves and more importantly, being human. All it does is weigh us down.