“I said to my body softly, I want to be your friend. It took a long breath in and replied; I have been waiting for this my whole life” - Nayyirah Waheed
Today, I invite you to assess the quality of relationship you have with your physical body.
Just like in any other relationship (be it professional, friendly or romantic) it is important to stay mindful.
Are you respectful?
Do you listen?
Do you speak kindly?
All important questions to ask ourselves when in a relationship - especially the one we have with ourselves, and our physical bodies are a huge part of that relationship.
Our physical body - it's everything in this life, it is what grounds us here. It is home to our spirit! Are you mindful of expressing gratitude for this beautiful home that you have been blessed with?
Your physical self has its own version of speaking to you all day long.
On an ongoing basis it is telling you what it needs. If you listen, your body is going to tell you what it needs to be healthy, comfortable, and happy (which will differ to the next person because we are all individual).
We have been born into a society that values aesthetic more so than function.
This concept is so odd to me.
Why do we focus on aesthetics, when it is not what keeps us here in this life?
A healthy heart, lungs full of air, good gut health, mental wellness - quality function of our body, that’s what keeps us here.
The conversation around how our body looks has to change. I don't know about you, but I'm bored. Aesthetics are so surface, and whilst we are busy focusing on them - that is how deep we go, only surface level.
And so today I invite you to dive deep and find what your body needs to feel nourished, honoured and celebrated.
Enough with the focus on external - we are built with more substance than that. Let's drop in.
I feel like we need to change the conversation of body image to deleting it in general. How lucky we are to have these gorgeous bodies that carry us through this life! Let's start refreshing our perspective and redirecting our focus.
Journal Prompts: s:
1. What is the relationship you have with your body?
(Are you kind? Do you use positive words of affirmation? Do you express gratitude?)
2. How is the balance in your relationship?
(Do do you focus more on the aesthetics instead of function?)
3. How do you honour and take care of your body?
Ways to start honouring your body:
Celebrate: Kind words of affirmation.
Nourish: Care for (rest, massage, movement).
Fuel: How/ what you choose to consume.
Express: Sex, create, flow, touch.
Does one of the above areas of your physical health need attention and/or higher intention? List all the ways you show up in these branches of honouring your physical self. Note any gaps, fill as desired
Your body is here for you.
It is time to stop picking it apart and instead, start to truly acknowledge what you have.