“Instead of judging and criticizing your body, be self-compassionate and speak lovingly to yourself.”

When was the last time you took a long look at your naked body?  I mean a good head to toe and back to front look. Did you do it recently or a few years ago? Did you smile and give yourself the thumbs up or did you grimace in shame and roll your eyes?

This body is the only one you have and will ever have. You may get it nipped and tucked, feed it or starve it, curse it or laugh at it, but there you are again.

Your body isn’t just something that you squeeze into tight jeans. It’s a vessel, a temple, and the home of your spirit, your essence, and the core of who you are.  Learn to love your body as it is, not as you want it to be.  I guarantee that if you don’t love your body now, you won’t love it if you lose 10, 20, or 50 pounds.  Why? Because you will always find fault with some part of your body—nose, feet, butt, eyes, or something else.

Practice Self-Compassion

The journey towards loving and accepting yourself begins with self-compassion.  According to Dr. Kristen Neff, self-compassion involves treating and speaking to yourself the same way you would to someone you love who has failed, is having a difficult time, or is saying something unloving to herself.

You may be on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, or get more exercise, but your motivation should be because you care about yourself, not because you hate your body and feel worthless.  You will fail, make mistakes, and encounter frustrations on the journey, but this is a part of life and what it means to be human.  According to Dr. Neff, “The more you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all your fellow humans in the experience of life.”

Take It All Off

Take everything off and look at yourself in the bathroom mirror.  Yes, I said it. Go ahead and do it.  I’m not looking.

• Lift your arms up. Notice what jiggles, hangs, or bounces. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Lift your boobs in your hands. They may be full, sagging, or perky.  Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Turn to one side and then to the other side.  Notice the view from either side.  Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Grab the fat and flesh around your sides and stomach. It might be a little or it might be a lot. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Turn around and look at your butt. It might be hanging or sagging a little (or a lot), and that is OK. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Look at your thighs and run your hands over them. Notice any dimples or cellulite.   Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Continue to look at other areas of your body and say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”

This activity was not designed to shame you or embarrass you.  But, it was designed for you to take an honest look at your body and to love the skin you’re in.  This is you. This is the package that you must work with.  This is you in all your glorious beauty.  And, sister, you are beautiful.  You need to get beyond what you see in the mirror, how your clothes fit, or what the media tells you should look like.   You need to love your body as it is right now and practicing self-compassion and repeating affirmations are important tools for your journey.

Reflections

1. What parts of your body do you have a hard time loving and accepting? Why?
2. How did you feel after doing the getting naked activity?

Please share your experience in the comment section of this blog. Or you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.

Keep It Tight Sisters!

Eat. Move. Breathe.

“Instead of judging and criticizing your body, be self-compassionate and speak lovingly to yourself.”

When was the last time you took a long look at your naked body?  I mean a good head to toe and back to front look. Did you do it recently or a few years ago? Did you smile and give yourself the thumbs up or did you grimace in shame and roll your eyes?

This body is the only one you have and will ever have. You may get it nipped and tucked, feed it or starve it, curse it or laugh at it, but there you are again.

Your body isn’t just something that you squeeze into tight jeans. It’s a vessel, a temple, and the home of your spirit, your essence, and the core of who you are.  Learn to love your body as it is, not as you want it to be.  I guarantee that if you don’t love your body now, you won’t love it if you lose 10, 20, or 50 pounds.  Why? Because you will always find fault with some part of your body—nose, feet, butt, eyes, or something else.

Practice Self-Compassion

The journey towards loving and accepting yourself begins with self-compassion.  According to Dr. Kristen Neff, self-compassion involves treating and speaking to yourself the same way you would to someone you love who has failed, is having a difficult time, or is saying something unloving to herself.

You may be on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, or get more exercise, but your motivation should be because you care about yourself, not because you hate your body and feel worthless.  You will fail, make mistakes, and encounter frustrations on the journey, but this is a part of life and what it means to be human.  According to Dr. Neff, “The more you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all your fellow humans in the experience of life.”

Take It All Off

Take everything off and look at yourself in the bathroom mirror.  Yes, I said it. Go ahead and do it.  I’m not looking.

• Lift your arms up. Notice what jiggles, hangs, or bounces. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Lift your boobs in your hands. They may be full, sagging, or perky.  Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Turn to one side and then to the other side.  Notice the view from either side.  Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Grab the fat and flesh around your sides and stomach. It might be a little or it might be a lot. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Turn around and look at your butt. It might be hanging or sagging a little (or a lot), and that is OK. Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Look at your thighs and run your hands over them. Notice any dimples or cellulite.   Say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”
• Continue to look at other areas of your body and say, “I love my body, and I am nature’s crowning glory.”

This activity was not designed to shame you or embarrass you.  But, it was designed for you to take an honest look at your body and to love the skin you’re in.  This is you. This is the package that you must work with.  This is you in all your glorious beauty.  And, sister, you are beautiful.  You need to get beyond what you see in the mirror, how your clothes fit, or what the media tells you should look like.   You need to love your body as it is right now and practicing self-compassion and repeating affirmations are important tools for your journey.

Reflections

1. What parts of your body do you have a hard time loving and accepting? Why?
2. How did you feel after doing the getting naked activity?

Please share your experience in the comment section of this blog. Or you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.

Keep It Tight Sisters!

Eat. Move. Breathe.