Body Love

I think maybe what we and our bodies need is more love. 

Two years years ago I wrote about Belly Love (Link: MamaManagement Belly Love) and I've recently been thinking more and more about how loving ourselves needs to become a practice, something we do every day. We need to make it a part of our daily routines. 

And affirmations are great--I'm a big believer in them. But I think when it comes to our bodies, we need to connect those kind words to our physical beings. I've talked before about lovingly rubbing my belly when I lotion after a shower in an effort to really accept its new Buddha-like softness. But it seems to me that our whole bodies...our whole selves need that kind of love.

I also know that new habits are easiest to implement when you attach them to existing habits--it's called habit stacking (It's from Atomic Habits. Great Book. Read it.) So, look at your day for opportunities to stack body love habits on top of existing habits. Here's what I'm thinking...

When you shower, no more mindlessly shampooing while you make a mental grocery list or add tasks to your mental to-do list, or just try to remember your name. Instead, take a mindful shower. Use the 5-10 minutes you're in there to thank your body. 

Thank your legs for getting you around all day. For allowing you to climb the stairs twenty times while doing laundry and cleaning up after your amazing family. For pushing the gas pedal to get you to the grocery store. For letting you kneel in the yard to plant beautiful flowers.

Thank your arms for letting you hug your kids and lug that laundry basket up those stairs. As you wash your torso, thank your heart for beating and your lungs for breathing. Thank your breasts for feeding your children or looking damn fine in that clingy black sweater.

When you get out of the shower, continue giving your body love as you rub those lotions and potions into your skin, as you brush out your mane. 

When you brush your teeth or put on your makeup, give yourself a mental boost with a few kind words to the woman in the mirror. 

You're looking good today, gorgeous. 

Hey sexy, loving those beachy waves.  

Ooo, that color looks great on you.

Girl, you hot.

And my favorite: You are a badass. (See Jen Sincero's You Are a Badass. I highly recommend reading it. I also like to say this one with a sassy, knowing wink and possibly a finger gun. But whatever works for you is great.)

And guess what? These aren't lies. Because you are a gorgeous, sexy, hot, badass. Just like you're also amazing, caring, smart, and talented. You are all these wonderful things that others can see, but you can't always see yourself. That's because we get too caught up in our own distorted view of ourselves. 

So often we don't see the truth because we're too close to the image. We see the Monet from one inch away. Everyone else is seeing it from a few feet back. We scrutinize every line, every shade, and everything looks a mess. But if we could just step back and see ourselves how others see us--the whole picture, not the individual lines--we'd see an entirely different picture.

We'd see that the picture of us is not made complete not by the planes of our bodies, but by the love in our hearts and the song in our souls and the laughter in our eyes. We are beautiful to those who know and love us. So if we learn to know and love ourselves, then we too will see our own beauty.

Say it with me now...

I am a beautiful soul.

I am here for a reason and am worthy of love.

I am grateful for this body that allows me to experience this amazing world.

My body is good to me and I will be good to it.

I love my body and I love myself.

I will learn to see me the way others see me.

I will love myself as I love others.

Start today. Start right now. Give yourself some loving attention. Rub your belly and send it love. Soak your body in a warm bath then slather it in rich, creamy lotion. Deep condition your hair while you lay back, close your eyes, and take your brain on a mental vacation (I like to go to the beach or a meadow surrounded by woods.). Stand outside and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and the breeze in your hair. Go for a gentle walk in nature. Have an orgasm. Give yourself a foot rub. Paint (or wrap) your toenails a color you love.

And say nice things to yourself. Talk to you the way you'd talk to a good friend--with loving kindness and a touch of humor.

And for the love of God, BREATHE. Deep and into your belly...Breathe.

Until next time, give that amazing body of your some real good loving.