Affirmations:
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In this life, my body is everything—I choose to give it the love and respect it deserves.
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I believe that the more appreciation I give to my body, the more it will respond in positive ways.
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I treat my body with kindness and compassion—I listen to its needs and nourish it accordingly.
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I am in perfect health, and my body is absolutely flawless. In every stage of life, I am grateful.
Encouraging Message:
The human body. Extraordinary and powerful, capable of so many incredible potentials. Our bodies carry us for our entire lives, and they are the vehicles through which we experience absolutely everything.
From enjoying a refreshing swim in the ocean—bathing in the clear blue, salty water—to dancing at a concert filled with an enormous crowd of others all being moved by the same rhythm, or traveling the world and exploring new foods using your senses of taste and smell—our bodies can give us so many wonderful moments. Finding a place that your heart can call home, being surrounded by loved ones, feeling joy, peace, gratitude, sadness, anger, and every other emotion—the fact that we get to experience life through these amazing vessels is the most beautiful blessing.
Every day we wake up and take a breath—an act most of us take for granted. We forget that our hearts beat for us automatically, and that our lungs never stop taking in oxygen to keep us alive. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything we wish our bodies could be— skinnier, stronger, less wrinkly, more flexible, more energetic, less anxious, etc. There’s a lot of voices out there telling us that we are not enough as we are, and that these bodies are broken and in need of fixing. It takes some effort to break out of this mindset, and to cultivate a continual practice of body appreciation.
Just for a moment, speak to your body (you can do this silently in your mind), and tell it how much you love, adore, and appreciate it—just for keeping you alive. Maybe name some other things it does for you that you’re thankful for. I am amazed at how my incredible digestive system works for me every single day—processing the foods I eat, and how my immune system is literally always fighting for me! Once you start naming a few things, you’ll probably find that the list could go on forever.
Practicing loving thoughts and feelings towards your body can benefit your life in so many ways. Your body can always hear you and feel your energy, and it responds in positive ways when you treat it with gratitude. You may be surprised at how much can change with just a little body appreciation. Maybe your stress lessens, maybe your skin clears up, maybe your back pain goes away, maybe you shed those extra pounds because your body finally feels safe enough to let go. Who knows? Try it and see what happens.
Reflective Prompts:
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Name 10 reasons why you are grateful for your body (Bonus: get a body appreciation journal and write these daily - if you’re looking for a real transformation)
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Is there anything you want to tell your body you’re sorry for? (Example: body shaming, etc.)
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What are some loving words that you can tell yourself when you look in the mirror? (Before the inner critic starts talking)
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Do you have any body goals? If so, how can you pursue these through love and not from a compulsive need to fix yourself?
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Are there any areas of your body that are more challenging to love? If so, spend some extra time today giving appreciation to those areas.
Closing:
In this life, our bodies are everything. Without them, we have nothing. Our true wealth lies in our health, and a good way to keep ourselves happy and thriving is by treating our bodies with the respect they deserve.
It starts with our thoughts, feelings, and words about ourselves, and this can then ripple out into our actions. It’s never too late to make a change. But just remember, if you feel that something needs to be different, first accept yourself as you are (I mean fully come to a place of peace), and then allow that adjustment to be made not through force, but through love.
~Sarah
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Note From Me:
*This sanctuary space is meant to be a safe haven—where you can return for some quick inspiration throughout your day, and where you can feel welcomed and loved. These writings are short and easily digestible, because even taking five minutes from your busy schedule to feed on some soul food (encouraging content) can be incredibly beneficial, and it just feels good. See you next time!
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