5 Simple things you can do to create change in your life by being kind to your body
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Are there things about your body that you’d like to be different? Have you tried all kinds of things to create change but none of them seem to work the way you want?
Perhaps what your body is really asking for is kindness.
We have these incredible bodies that do so much for us every minute of every day, yet we rarely, if ever, stop to acknowledge the gift they truly are. Instead, we judge them, ignore what they’re asking, and expect them to keep going no matter what we’re choosing. Bodies put up with so much from us!
What if simply being kind to your body could contribute more to it than you ever imagined? Our bodies generously give so much to us, how much could our lives change if we started being kinder to them?
Here are 5 easy ways you can offer kindness to your body to create the possibility for dynamic change:
1. Pay attention to babies and small children
Do you notice the joy that babies and children have? There’s no judgment or problems in their world. Do you remember that feeling? Children delight in just being alive. They play, and laugh, and explore with their bodies just for the fun of it. When you begin tapping into that energy of how much fun life can be again, it’s an incredible gift to your body. It’s one of the easiest ways to offer tremendous kindness that can have a dynamic impact.
2. Start touching your body every day
It may sound deceptively simple, yet being present as you touch your body is a great way to begin connecting with it again. Notice how your arm or cheek or knee lights up when you touch it. Your body will be so grateful.We’ve learned to disconnect from our bodies; we often totally ignore all that they offer us. Touch allows us to connect to our bodies again and to acknowledge the gift they are to us.
3. Ask your body questions
Most of us weren’t taught to talk to our bodies — other than impelling them with judgments — yet this is one of the easiest and kindest things we can do for them!Asking your body questions can be as simple as, “Body, do you desire to go for a walk?” The response you get will be energetic, but you’ll know.You could also ask, “Do you require some food?” Or, “Body, what would be fun for you to do today?” By asking questions we become more aware of what our bodies actually require from us, which might be quite different than you thought.When we give our bodies what they actually desire instead of what we’ve projected at them, we offer a level of kindness that creates the space required for change.
4. Have gratitude and receive
Have you ever paused to really thank your body for all that it is and all that it contributes to you? Being grateful is this magical choice we can make that truly allows things to change. With gratitude, there is no space for judgment; it literally can’t exist at the same time. So when we choose to be grateful, even for the things we have judged the most about our bodies, it stops the incessant flow of negative judgment and allows for a different possibility.
5. Be willing to be weird enough to actually enjoy your body
Can being weird be a kindness? Look around, how many people do you know that actually enjoy their bodies? Over 7 billion of us and virtually everyone over the age of 10 rarely enjoys this incredible gift they’ve been given.Choosing to enjoy your body again is incredibly kind. It’s not a common choice, but are you willing to be that weird?
You have an amazing body, an incredible gift. When we honor the capacities of our bodies, listening to what they have to say, and inviting the joy we once had with them to be part of our lives again, we offer them a tremendous level of kindness. Practice these 5 steps every day and be prepared to be surprised at the change that’s possible.
You may also enjoy reading Freedom From Our Un-Serving and Negative Thoughts by Annette Quarrier.