One of the most important relationships you have is the one with your body. This relationship affects many areas of your life, including your health, emotional well-being, and the way you relate to others. Whether you want to improve upon an already-healthy relationship or need to start by finding something you even like about your body, here are 5 action steps you can take to love your body now.
1. Tell the critic to take a hike
Chances are that you are your biggest critic and may say things to yourself and about yourself that are not supporting you in having a healthy relationship with your body. Pay attention to your internal dialog and make sure it’s positive.
Just as the “I am” is the foundation upon which PSI Seminars is built, it is truly the seed from which our lives grow. What are your “I am” statements about your body? Tell the critic to take a hike, and only use positive “I am” statements that are in alignment with a healthy body image.
2. Treat your body like your best friend
If your best friend put on a few extra pounds, would you tell her she’s fat and lazy and nobody would ever love her? No, of course not! While that may have sounded dramatic, the truth is that it is not uncommon for people to speak to themselves in such a way.
On the contrary, you’d probably want to support your friend by offering to join her for exercise and encourage her by celebrating wins such as choosing healthy meals and staying on track with a fitness program. Your body deserves the same “best friend” treatment!
3. Get out of a rut by getting in a routine
Just as no two people are the same, no two health regimens should be the same. Finding a diet and exercise routine that work for you and for your body type can be life-changing. Imagine looking forward to eating healthy and working out? When you create a routine that makes you happy, that’s exactly what you’ll do!
Ask friends and family, go to the library, or get online and do some research on what kinds of fitness activities are out there as well as what dietary guidelines may support you in maintaining a body that you love.
4. Appreciate the inside as well as the outside
The human body is incredibly capable. While you’re reading this, your lungs are breathing in air, absorbing oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide; your heart is pumping blood, delivering oxygen to all of your cells; your eyes are making it possible for you to visually receive this information; and your brain is processing every bit of stimulation delivered to it through the five senses while keeping your body parts functioning without you ever having to think about it. Is it worth it for you to take care of your body so that it can keep taking care of you? Or course!
When you appreciate all that your body does for you, you’re more inclined to love it, treat it with respect, fuel it properly, and give it the tune ups that it needs to keep running strong.
5. List five things you love about your body
The more you focus on the positive, the more positive you’ll find to focus on. Whether you think you have the world’s greatest pinky finger, sexy shoulders, a unique eye color or you love the way you can run a mile in under ten minutes, tie a cherry stem with your tongue, or dance the cha-cha, write it down.
Make a list of five things you love about your body and put it somewhere you’ll see it often, maybe on the bathroom mirror or on the fridge. When the critic sneaks back in to whisper something in your ear, refer to your list and remember why you love your body.