Love your body.
How we think about ourselves is fundamental to how we live our lives. I also believe nobody doubts that having a good relationship with ourselves makes life much, much easier.
And yet, that self-love is so hard to achieve.
Today, I want to start with the very foundation: Our body. It’s a simple truth that we cannot walk this world and enjoy a good life without a body. It’s the vehicle through which we experience this world and move through it.
But many people hate their bodies.
We learn to feel bad about our body early in life. We’re too thin, too fat, to short, too tall, in a word: We’re wrong because our body is wrong. Too many kids learn that lesson in kindergarden. And so we hate our bodies, because they prevent us from making friends or having fun.
And it gets worse. Illnesses, pain and age can make our bodies “fail”. It’s natural to hate the parts of our bodies that fail us. I have friends, colleagues and clients who feel that way. I don’t blame them. It’s natural.
I just wish they wouldn’t.
What most people don’t know is that our bodies not only have the potential to make us suffer. They also have a huge potential to heal. However, we can easily block this amazing healing potential with hate, anger and sadness. These emotions influence our bodies more than most people know.
When I tap with someone on an injury, I always, always tap on the anger at the cause of the injury, and the anger at oneself for not paying attention and avoiding the injury. We tap to let go of those feelings.
The healing that happens afterwards is usually spectacular.
So today I want to help you to shift the relationship with your body. This is fundamental for healing and changing your life. And seriously, how can you love yourself and live a creative life while hating your body at the same time? Why waste all that energy on hate?
So here’s an exercise to get you started:
Stand in front of a mirror. Look at your face. And I mean, really look at it. See your eyes, your eyebrows, your forehead, your hair, your cheeks, your nose, your chin. Maybe see your ears. See all the details. Even the spots and bumps.
Now find something that you like. Maybe it’s the color of your eyes. Maybe the gentle turn of your mouth. A firm chin, or a well-defined nose. The way your hair curls around your face. Pick one, or possibly two. And then appreciate this part of your body every morning and night while you brush your teeth.
It’ll take work. It won’t be easy. But I promise it’ll be worth it – because it starts to shift a pattern in your mind as you appreciate a part of you.
If you want to do more, use the following setup-phrases to tap and get started on changing your feelings about your body.
Even though I feel so bad about my body because it just isn’t right, I’m still okay the way I am, and I’m open to the possibility that I depend on this body and might as well like it even if it isn’t perfect.
Even though I hate my body because it’s failing me, I’m still okay the way I am, and I allow myself to know that I need this body to live my life – so I might as well like it.
Even though I wish for the perfect body, and it makes me sad and angry that I can never have it, I’m okay the way I am and I’m open to the possibility that I can actually choose to like my body anyway, even if I have to start with just a part or two.
(If you don’t know how to tap, check out the video on this page: What is this tapping?)
So, which part of your body is actually nice or even beautiful? Please share in the comments, so we can encourage each other.
Image source: F. Moebius