I was deeply affected by an Instagram post created by The Body Relationship™ Coach Ivy Felicia that said,
"We are constantly taught and programmed to focus our body size, beauty, and abilities but we often forget that our bodies are working every moment of every day to keep us alive and nourished. At any size, shape, or ability level our body is still doing its best."
I don't know about you, but it made me stop to ponder for a bit.
When was the last time you considered that your body is doing its best?
I agree with Ivy Felicia that most are so caught up in the day-to-day grind of body dissatisfaction and comparisonitis because of the exhausting societal pressures we're all under, it's sometimes easy to forget that our bodies are working hard for us every single day. This is harder for those who suffer from physical, emotional, or mental illnesses.
The truth is that it can be hard to recognize that our bodies are doing their very best when we are focusing solely on how they don't 'measure up' to societal expectations.
When we hyperfocus on our outsides, there will always be dissatisfaction because that's the way we've been conditioned. Sadly, this dissatisfaction often leads to shame, guilt, and often frustration. Can you relate?
What if we shifted our focus to appreciate that our bodies are doing their very best even when we don't always care for them the way we probably could?
I don't know about you, but when I think about my body in these terms, I feel a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude toward it.
We certainly cannot expect our perspective to change overnight, but by consciously choosing to shift our focus from criticism and comparison to appreciation and gratitude we can begin to connect with our bodies in more compassionate and loving ways.
If we come back to this concept over and over, it's likely that subtle shifts will begin to happen over time. That's how this work is...slow and steady.
For many, this is a whole new way of thinking and requires consistent practice, but imagine how our lives could change if we remembered to keep working toward this instead of focusing our energies on the perceived ways our bodies aren't measuring up.
I'm not naïve. I acknowledge that there are many things that will get in the way of this. To name a few, weight stigma, fatphobia, ageism, toxic beliefs, our inner critics, etc. but I still believe it's possible. If I didn't, I wouldn't be so committed to this work and my clients wouldn't experience the shifts that they do.
So, the next time you are comparing and dispairing about your body, I invite you to consider that your body is doing its very best to serve your needs.
Remember, it's okay if you can't do this on your own. I'm here to support you along the way if you need it.