My body and I have been at war for years now. I have struggled with sugar addiction. I live a sedentary lifestyle and don’t move enough. Reclaiming peace in my body was a very gradual process and one that continues day by day. Moving from the shame and disgust I used to feel, to a place where I can love and appreciate my body is an ongoing journey that I walk daily.
My Story
I started with the parts of my body that I liked and began paying more attention to those. My hair has always been my pride and glory, so I focused on that. Doing basic DIY hair treatments, just egg and castor oil (FYI, if you try this at home rinse with lemon juice and/or vinegar to get the egg smell out), boosted my confidence and made me feel beautiful. It was a small white flag that I held out, calling a truce to the war on my body and self-image.
As I focused on the parts of myself that I liked I became more aware of the ways in which I was being mean to myself. This led me to make a few more changes. First I watched some youtube videos and read up a bit on dressing for my body type. How you dress has a big impact on how you feel, and vice versa. So dress in clothes and fabrics that make you feel good and comfortable.
Now, I think that ladies with the slim, willowy body type are beautiful, but that’s not me. It will never be me, even when I’m at my ideal body weight, it’s just not my body type. So I stopped looking at online fashion store images, catalogues, magazines … advertisements from any place that sold clothing where the clothes were only modeled by thin models. Looking at images where gorgeous, willowy women were modelling beautiful dresses just made me sad. Instead I looked at online stores and magazines where the clothes were worn by girls whose body type was similar to mine.
Making these small changes had a huge impact on my self-esteem. I no longer hate my body. Finding peace in my body has helped me to move from a place where I was beating myself up, to a space where I can forgive myself for bad choices and move forward, towards better decisions. This is me.
3 Steps to reclaiming peace in your body.
1. Stop the negative self-talk.
Whenever you find yourself starting to slide down the slippery slope of body bashing. Take a deep breath. Exhale. And refocus your attention on something positive. Look into the mirror at your eyes and see the beautiful colors in them. Run your hands through your hair and feel the softness of it. Think of one thing your body does that you are grateful for.
2. Rewrite your body’s story.
Think about the way you view your body and the way others have viewed your body. Are there comments from your childhood, teens, or more recently that you have taken on as the truth? Write down everything that you believe about your body. Is it true or a borrowed belief or comment? Now write down everything that is positive about your body. Revisit your story often and add more positive comments, ideas, or thoughts you have about your body. Check out this article on rewriting your body story.
3. Create an empowering relationship with your body.
Your body is not an enemy that you need to beat or conquer. Treat your body like it’s an intimate friend (it knows all your secrets after all). Forgive yourself and forgive your body. Then treat it with kindness and compassion.
Sometimes your body will need tough love, like when you’re pushing through that gym workout or eating that kale salad (insert healthy food you don’t enjoy). Other times you need to be gentle and eat that chocolate. When you are at peace with your body you are not adding the stress of guilt and anxiety when you “fall off the wagon”. When you are at peace with your body it is easier to move forward to make good decisions from a place of love. Decisions made from a place of love are easier to stick to.
Leave a comment below and tell us how you find peace in your body.
I cоuld not resist commеnting. Pеrfectⅼy written!
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