Your body is supposed to be your friend but for many of us we are at war with our body and our life is the battle field.
Do you feel consumed by anger, desperation and shame because your body doesn’t look a certain way? I know how it feels! It can turn into quite the obsession trying to fix what we think is broken, to turn our body into something that will only then be worthy of love.
In today’s society we have been taught that the most attractive feature of a person’s humanity is their appearance and the most desirable assets are youthful looking skin, a flat stomach, perky bum or long, toned legs.
To top it all off we have been led to believe that it is acceptable to do whatever it takes to get there. Our attitudes to our body is that it is only a prop to express beauty – to be made look pretty, skinny or lean.
We are bombarded with campaigns that imply that are bodies are not good enough. No matter what the type – skinny, lean, fat or athletic – there is an unrelenting force telling us that our body is wrong.
Many of us allow these disempowering campaigns to penetrate, distort and manipulate the beliefs we hold about our own bodies, and as a result value, worth and identity.
But your body is the companion that will empower you to truly understand and connect with your health, strength, vitality and agility. Your body is a powerful presence in this world, and it wasn’t put on this world to look a certain way or fit whatever the current cultural mode of ‘perfection’ is!
All bodies are worthy of love! Here are 5 ways you can start your journey today.
1. To love your body does not mean you have to love ALL of your body. It’s an unrealistic standard to tell ourselves that we absolutely have to love every part of our body — or else. We can love parts of our bodies and not the whole thing and that is fine! Loving your body is a continuous journey and not an uphill battle to fall in love with every atom of your being. As long as you focus more time and energy loving the parts of your body that you love instead of hating the parts you hate, you will be just fine.
Focus more time and energy loving the parts of your body that you love
2. Fall in love with what your body CAN do! Your body is designed to do some incredible things – squat, bench, kart wheel, skip, cycle, run, play, dance! Explore what your body can do and fall in love with movement.
Fall in love with movement
3. Your appearance does not define your worth or value, period! Your self-esteem is not bound to an outside thing, your sparkle is already inside of you. If there is an imbalance in your life – if you spend more time thinking about the gym, exercise, your body or food – then shift your energy towards something else. Your body is not your identity but it is easy to get wrapped up with your reflection when you spend so much time thinking about it. Life is a BIG picture, don’t ever forget that! When you are on your deathbed, do you want to be remembered as the girl who could list her top 5 diet tips at the drop of a hat?
Your feminine / masculine beauty is already inside of you
4. Fall in love with your body, not someone else’s. Comparison is the thief of beauty, happiness and success – yet we all do it. If you are serious about developing and growing in confidence and self esteem than you must focus on your personal strengths, uniqueness and successes.
Comparison is the thief of beauty
5. Stop beating yourself up because you don’t look a certain way! If you saw your child talk to herself the way you sometimes do, your heart would break! Your negative self talk is not going to make your thighs any smaller or your tummy any flatter and it certainly won’t make you feel any happier. Treat yourself with love and kindness and you will begin a journey of self-acceptance and self love.
Treat yourself with love and kindness
Your body is your friend and your companion. It is okay to love your body. It doesn’t make you full of yourself, vain, conceited, cocky or self absorbed. You can, and should, acknowledge your beauty and love your body with kindness and compassion and in turn inspire others to feel they can as well.
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