Love Your Body

You’ve been staring in the mirror

Picking yourself apart

This flaw

That imperfection

Those spots you can’t tame

Why can’t I be this

Why doesn’t my body that

How is that working out for you?

Have you tried loving your body instead?

Not just, “being grateful”

But actually LOVING your body

Let’s try this out:

Stand in the mirror

Naked

No, really — BE NAKED

and say,

I love you.

But mean it

Look around with kind eyes and say what you love.

Start from one end and work your way to the other; move about your entire body.

Do NOT negate, or try to argue anything you say.

Do not put any of your parts down.

If you have a body part that you absolutely detest and cannot say something nice about (if you have a foot phobia, for example) you don’t have to say anything at all.

Only say what you love and give a real, honest reason why.

If you have parts of yourself that you struggle to readily say you love, really think about it for a minute.

Is there anything about that part of you that you can say you love?

The shape,

the form,

the function,

the color,

the way it looks in a certain light,

the work you’ve put into it thus far in life.

If you really put a minute into thinking about it and are unable to sincerely say anything without feeling like you need to argue,

move on.

NO NEGATIVITY ALLOWED.

Work on adding more things each time you practice this exercise, and practice this exercise at least once daily.

Standing naked in your mirror.

If you tend to be pretty unforgiving with yourself in regards to your appearance, start from the bottom and work your way up.

Everyone has fairly average

ankles,

shins,

knees.

So as you gradually work your way up the body,

to your face,

you should be “warmed up,”

able to regard yourself with more appreciation.

Some people may want to argue with this exercise and say that “beauty is only skin deep”

or

“what’s the point of telling yourself you love these superficial things that don’t equate to who you are?”

It’s not just vanity.

People who view themselves as attractive and beautiful are more confident.

And CONFIDENCE improves performance — socially, athletically, in the workplace.

Self-criticizing, however, leads to fewer positive emotions;

more negative emotions, day to day;

more likely to develop depressive and anxiety disorders.

Take the steps towards a healthier relationship with yourself,

Because you are the most important person.

Forgive the past.

Accept all of yourself.

Practice self approval.

Embrace non-comparison.

Trust in the moment.

LOVE YOUR BODY.

Love yourself.