It’s no secret that stress can have a negative impact on our health. This is because our emotions signal different chemical reactions in the body that have a direct impact on our wellbeing. Feelings of stress, anger, and resentment will cause damage, whereas feelings of love, joy, and appreciation will have positive benefits.
5 Steps to Loving Your Body
This stands to reason that if you are trying to heal your body, then the emotions you need to embody the most are love, joy, and appreciation. But as we know, loving our body can be challenging for many of us. If you are sick, you may find that you are feeling frustrated with your body for not being healthy. When you are trying to lose weight, you may be constantly comparing yourself to others and feeling angry or depressed.
Our relationship with our body is complicated to say the least. But if you are going to truly heal, and be happy in your own skin, then the most important thing you can do is to learn to love yourself.
1. Pivot Towards Appreciation
Is your heart beating on it’s own? Are your lungs breathing for you? Can you see, hear, and speak? Do you have use of all your limbs? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you already have a lot to appreciate about your body. The body is a miracle, and it’s easy to take these simple things for granted. You don’t have to make your heart beat or blood run through your veins. Your body is doing that all on its own, as well as a number of other amazing things.
When we are sick or frustrated with our appearance it’s easy to focus on what’s wrong with us. Changing your focus to what’s going right can make all the difference. Start appreciating all the amazing things that your body is doing for you. Wake up and thank it every day. This may seem silly, but wouldn’t it be better to wake up in the morning and thank your heart for beating, instead of complaining about the pain in your back? When you flood your body with appreciation, it will create a positive response that is felt throughout your cells. The gratitude you feel for your body will change it for the better.
2. Focus on Positive Self Talk
If you spent one day recording all the things you say about yourself in your mind, you might be shocked at how cruel you can be. From berating the way a part of your body looks, to getting frustrated at yourself for feeling so tired, we’re all guilty of negative self talk. We are our biggest critics, and our critique can be quite harsh!
You would never talk to a friend the way you talk to yourself. And if you did, you wouldn’t have a friend for much longer. Extend kindness to your inner thoughts. It’s time to change the conversation that’s going on in our minds. Every time you catch yourself saying something negative about your body, replace it with a compliment. Even if you don’t mean it. The simple act of changing this critical voice will start to change your relationship with your body. Remember, your body is working hard for you every second of the day, the least you can do is show it a little love and praise.
3. Ditch the Comparison Game
We all get wrapped up into the comparison game from time to time. Whether it is comparing your belly to someone with rock hard abs, or comparing yourself to a friend who is pregnant with her third child while you’ve been struggling with infertility. Comparison can trip us up and create harmful perspectives of our own bodies. There are a few ways that you can get yourself out of the comparison trap.
- Don’t follow anyone on social media that triggers you to feel badly about yourself. If you find yourself caught up in analyzing every photo that someone posts hoping to find a flaw, that’s a good indication that you need to stop following that person.
- Instead of comparing yourself to someone else, spend time appreciating them. You can appreciate someone’s beauty or good health without feeling the need to rip yourself apart. In fact, when you focus on appreciation rather than jealousy, you won’t get wrapped up in the comparison game at all. Instead, by practicing gratitude you’ll learn to appreciate yourself even more.
- When you do find yourself trapped in comparing yourself to someone else, stop and think about what qualities you have that someone else would be thankful for. This turns the table on the comparison game, and back to appreciating and loving yourself.
4. Treat Yourself to Some Pampering
Developing a self care routine is a wonderful way to love and appreciate your body. Try booking yourself a massage or a facial. Or, DIY at home and take a hot epsom salt bath at night with some of your favorite essential oils. Even taking the time to cook yourself a healthy meal can be an act of self love. Make a list of self care activities that resonate with you, and show your body appreciation by pampering it regularly.
5. Detach from Your Physical State
While detaching from your body may seem counterintuitive, remembering that you are not your body will help you keep a healthy perspective. Your personality, essence, soul, or however you’d like to refer to it, is not your body. This body is a wonderful vehicle that you’ve been given, but it does not define who you are deep down.
Your body will change overtime, and not always to your liking. Becoming overly attached to your physical form will leave you disappointed again and again. Learn how to get in touch with your true self and detach from your body through mindfulness exercises such as meditation. Understanding that who you are is not dependent on how you look, or even on how good you feel, will help you gain a healthier relationship with your physical body.
Learning to love yourself as you are is a never ending practice as your physical body will continue to change throughout the years. But as you learn to accept and appreciate your body, you’ll find that your body will love you back. Positive thoughts will have a ripple effect throughout every cell, influencing the way you look and how you feel. Make yourself a promise right now, that you’ll do your best to give your body the love and appreciation that it deserves.