Our Relationship With Our Body

How good is your relationship with your body?

Our relationships with our bodies are often difficult. When we are young, we often think that we are bulletproof. We think that our bodies will do what we want. We choose to do terrible things to our bodies in exchange for being thin, or fun, or a good time at a party. 

As we age, we become more aware. We notice how much we need sleep, how our body doesn’t process alcohol as well as it used to, that not moving causes it to seize up. Unfortunately, some people realise this too late. They have already messed up their bodies in ways that they may not be able to heal from. Making peace with your body is about acceptance. It is about being grateful. You may not be as tall or as slim as you like. 

You might think that you got a rough deal when bodies were being handed out! However, try thinking about your body and all the wonderful things it has done for you. I am grateful that my knees can bend down to pick things up off the floor, that my arms can carry my groceries home, that my neck can turn to show me what’s behind me, and that my body moves and beats and transports blood in my veins.

We spend way too much time being critical, comparing our bodies to others and wishing that our bodies were different. Our heads judge our bodies. They obsess over the ideal way we ‘should’ look instead of being able to simply honour and enjoy how we do look. When we step into awe, we allow ourselves to see how magnificent our bodies are. Our arms, while they may not be as slim as we might like, allow us to hug our loved ones. Our legs, while they might be dimpled and dented, take us to the most magical places!

There are three types of people:
1. There are people who misuse their bodies. They have no respect for how incredibly lucky they are to have a fully functioning body. This misuse shows up in an extreme lack

of care, often bordering on self-abuse. It shows up in not sleeping, drinking chemical ‘energy’ drinks, eating heavily processed foods and using drugs and alcohol.

2. There are people who use their bodies. They act like they own their bodies. They think their bodies are infinite sources of energy that they can do whatever they like with. They take what they can without any regard for what their bodies need. Many of us do this when we are young! We act like we are unstoppable. Continuing this misuse as we age is very damaging and destructive.

3. There are people who are in partnership with their bodies. When we become friends with our bodies, we join them in partnership, like a deal: I’ll be good to you if you are good to me! We are in touch with what our bodies need and want and we spend time and money looking after our bodies.

If you and your body had a meeting what would she say? 
What would she ask for? 
What does she need?