Practicing gratitude for your body might feel pretty difficult. For 80-90% of women, body discontent is the norm. 80-90%!! That feels incredibly sad to me. Our bodies are incredible. Without conscious thought, your body allows you to travel through your life. When was the last time you said something nice about it?
Our thoughts have so much power, for better or worse. Our negative thoughts can create catastrophic emotional and physical consequences. Our positive thoughts can bring peace and healing. Studies have shown what our words do to plants, ice, and animals. Research suggests that our thoughts and words impact our body on a cellular level. Plus, positive thoughts make us happier.
I am not asking you to lie to yourself and say things you don’t actually believe (although, there is some value in that too). I am asking you to look for things you can appreciate about your body. Sometimes, it is easiest to focus on function. What does your body do for you? What would be different if your body couldn’t or didn’t do that?
How much time do you spend worrying about how your body looks and obsessing about it not being what you want? That is precious energy that would be better spent on something else. When you focus on what you don’t want, you get more of that. When you focus on what you appreciate, you also get more of that. This can be easier said than done, so try this:
Loving Kindness Meditation
Sit quietly and spend a few minutes breathing deeply and repeating the following phrase in your mind or out loud, “May I be filled with loving kindness toward my body”. Then, spend a few minutes focusing on what you appreciate about each part of your body. For example, “I appreciate that my legs allow me to walk where I need to go”. Practice this meditation daily for maximum effect.
By viewing our body through a lens of compassion and gratitude, it allows us to feel more peace within our body. The more peace we feel, the more peacefully we behave toward ourselves. The more peacefully we behave toward ourselves, the better our lives feel.
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