Learning to Love our Bodies

As of last week, my body is now 60 years old.  I have lots of thoughts about that.  I’m learning to love my body just as it is.  Here’s how:

The greatest challenge is awareness.  What are all those sneaky thoughts or negative talk that I do to myself every day?  Thoughts like, there’s another wrinkle, your boobs are saggy, look how your butt hangs on your thighs, how did that grey hair sprout from my eyebrow overnight, it’s so much harder to exercise than it used to, my hair is getting thin, what happened to your flat stomach….none of this is helpful.

My body is so much more than an ornament. I’m learning that body love has nothing to do with my appearance. My body is the vehicle by which I create, consume, experience, connect and learn. I’m learning to practice that my body is so much more than decor.

So, when the negative self-talk comes up, I just notice it.  I’m kind to myself and just look at the thought with curiosity.  Does the thought serve me in any way?  Maybe sometimes it motivates me to exercise but mostly that feels more like beating myself up rather than loving myself.  Can I turn it into love?  Yes, let me love my body just as it is today.  Ever changing.  Let me worship it as the temple it is.  Coming from that place of love, I WANT to do good things for it.  Exercise it, feed it healthy food, remind it that those breasts nourished life or that my legs still take me running.  Notice the negative thought and then tell it something nice.  Love it as it is.

 This is so much better. My body, 60 years young and I am loving it just as it is. It takes work.

 I love these words from Jody Moore of all the different ways we can remember how incredible our bodies are:

When we eat too much food, our bodies know what to do. 

When we don't have enough to eat, our bodies know what to do. 

When we get sick or injured, our bodies know what to do. 

When it's too cold or too hot, our bodies know what to do. 

When a baby is growing inside of us, our bodies know what to do. 

When we don't get enough sleep, our bodies know what to do. 

Our bodies are INCREDIBLY adaptable. 

And we not only take our bodies for granted, we get mad at our bodies. 

We judge tour bodies for not looking right or feeling right. 

Ease up on your body. It's doing a phenomenal job.