A Better Body Mantra
"I have a body" is a neutral mantra we encourage clients to try on as a way to connect with their physical being. It’s a fact that can’t be rejected. There is no opinion tied to it. It’s pure truth. It is a powerful truth that can be a home base for a shift in the way you think about yourself. Sometimes jumping straight to a big positive thought doesn’t stick because we don’t believe it yet. Neutralizing self defeating thoughts with a neutral fact is a great first step and can be a surprising catalyst for taking action that creates big change. You don’t need to be a yogi or know how to meditate. Simply say this to yourself as often as needed.
We also invite you to try the following exercise by getting out a piece of paper and something to write with. Answer these questions. Draw them. Flow through the thoughts in your head. See what comes up.
What is your “goal body?”
An exercise in connecting to your body
Deeply consider this. What does your ideal body look like? What does this body allow you to do differently? Who does it allow you to be? Can you do or be any of these things now? Have you ever lived in your ideal body?
If you have lived in this body before, were you appreciative then? How was your life different vs now? This is important to reflect on because you may notice behaviors or life factors from before that you choose not to do now for some reason. Consider how far you've come. What's happened in your life? What have you accomplished since? Take inventory and note that this was another you, in the past.
If you never lived in this body, consider how long you've desired to be somebody else besides you right now. Does someone else have this body? What is their lifestyle like? How does that compare to your lifestyle? It's usually a mistake to compare bodies because we likely don't know what their day to day life is like. We don't know their health status or what their joys or problems are. They are them. You are you. If you ever get to know that person, you'll see, it's probably not what you think.
For most people, a healthy body does not look like washboard abs with a thigh gap. I know. It's shocking and disappointing to accept that cellulite is the norm...not a thigh gap. Or, you can be relieved by that news. The cool thing is you get to choose what you believe and accept. If what you believe and accept is causing you to speak poorly to yourself on the regular, it may be time for a new mantra. Repeat after me. “I have a body.”
Health appears differently in different bodies.
We go through phases of life and we nourish ourselves differently at different times. Weight and symptoms show up at different times and sometimes as a means to protect us. Let's reflect on some examples.
Maybe you gained some weight with pregnancy. Think of what that weight allowed you to accomplish, it showed up to nurture you and your child during a time of growth. Bringing LIFE into this world is no joke. Letting go of the pressure to get back to your "pre-baby body" can relieve a lot of stress which actually allows your body to relax and reset.
Maybe you got off the healthy eating train during a divorce or a move, but that nurtured your soul during that period of time and was what helped move you through a difficult situation.
Changing a career, mourning a loss, taking a vacation, and even the ability to walk are all things that your body supported you in doing. This “goal body” that we all want so desperately is still going to allow you to do these activities, but will you be happy with it? Or will it be a constant limbo of not good enough?
These are all things to keep in mind throughout whatever journey you’re embarking on. While becoming the healthiest version of yourself is a wonderful path to venture down, it is so important to love the process, even when it’s hard and uncomfortable. Thank your body and the skin you’re in for carrying you through large life moments, and small movements. No one’s story is the same as anyone else’s, and its so vital to approach the topic of weight loss from a place of love, and not resentment. Our clients know just how vital it is to love it in order to lose it. Your mind is so much more powerful than you know, and by changing your view you can change your life.
