A journey of self-love that will find you truly loving your physical body
Ever had one of those mornings when you’re looking for something to wear and nothing looks good on you? Then you look to the mirror and you begin to rip up a list of all the things that you hate about your body. Or you’ve spent months of dieting and cardio workouts and you haven’t had a chocolate for ever, but you still can’t bring yourself to wear those short shorts, you’ve always wanted to show off, because you’re just not there yet. Well you are definitely not alone. I know this all too well and this is the mindset I played out for decades until a series of events unfolded, and for the first time ever, I fell in love with my body. I now look in the mirror and I love what I see whether I’ve put a few kilos on or shed some. I have truly found the key to loving my body and I want to share this wonderful medicine with you, in hope that you can feel the same way. So read on to see what unfolded for me.
First off, my mind and BODY have been on quite a journey. I have weighed over 120kg at one point in my life, and then lost it all, so I could be back into the low 60’s kgs and back wearing those size 10 clothes. I have done so many diets and have tried every single different exercise class under the sun. I have birthed 3 children and have undergone the very gruelling process of strict months dedicated to fat loss so I can loose that baby weight . I associated skinny with happiness and fat with feelings of depression. However, every time I achieved my desired goal weight, I still never felt completely sexy in my skin. I always wanted more; to look thinner, to look better in those jeans, to be able to comfortably wear the togs at the beach without covering up. I was never 100% happy with way I looked. I just wanted complete instagram worthy perfection and I worked bloody hard to attempt to get there. I had a deep desire to be seen as a sexy and confident woman and I thought I could only achieve such pleasure when I had achieved the perfectly sculptured body. But now I can confidently and proudly announce that I do feel happy with my body. Whether, I’ve reached my goal weight, during the weight loss challenge or even when I stack on the winter kilos and my legs are rippled with cellulite. I have come to a peaceful space where I am loving my body, however it looks. I will share how all this unfolded to get me to a head space of completely loving my body.
Lesson 1
My first lesson was shown to me during one of my 12 week challenges, through the local gym. I picked up an old Michelle Bridges book, that I purchased over a decade ago for some much needed motivation, and here is my first ah ha moment! We are all made differently for the basic needs of our own survival! She explained that we all made up of different cells and DNA. If we all contained the same DNA then an illness could enter and wipe out the whole heard; therefore we are suppose to be made different for the greater good of society, and the survival of our species. This was a lightbulb moment for me as I began truly valuing the importance of being different and unique. How good is it to be your very self. No-one is exactly like you and that is such a fabulous thing! You have the freedom to embrace your body and it’s unique qualities. Isn’t it funny how you may not like your bug bum and thighs yet someone in the world is in the gym trying to plump there’s up? Or the girl who has dead straight curly hair is spending hours curling it while the woman with the curls is booking herself in to get her hair chemically straightened? Or that baby belly is making you feel frumpy but there’s a couple praying they could have that beautiful belly because they’ve been trying to conceive for the past 4 years. You body is such a beautiful gift. Your shape is uniquely yours, so embrace how it’s different from someone else’s, because I bet you someone in this world would absolutely love it. I’m a pear shape, which means I carry more weight in my bottom and thighs and I am portioned smaller up the top half of my body. So every single day I used to run and do squats to try to fix that ‘problematic’ area down below. I was always trying to fix the things I didn’t like but never embraced the parts I did like. So I started to do some upper body workouts too and sent some love to those parts. I started to embrace my very shape and instead of trying to change it, I actually started to work with it and utilise what it could potentially do. I have strong arms and I now love to do a workout for them too. If there are parts of your body you truly detest at this very moment, find another part you like and send so much love to that part. Don’t allow that one place take over your whole perception. I feel so blessed to have this shape and I now embrace the vessel that has been gifted to me. What a beautiful body you have! It’s different parts, it’s different DNA, it’s different colour, it’s differing shape - embrace your very own unique body. It’s yours for a reason. You are divinely younique!
Lesson 2
My second lesson consisted of my Nan being diagnosed with cancer and given 12 weeks to live out her life. This rocked me because she is such a significant person in my life; one of these beautiful human beings that just sends me absolute unconditional love, no matter what! She is the light of my life. So I watched cancer challenge her in the worst ways. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation and sadly announced, at moments, that it was all too much for her. She was sick of the incredible discomfort she had to endure. However, a miracle happened and she got better; thank goodness, and is in remission. But throughout this terrible period, it made me realise I had been taking my life for granted! We have the capability to wake up every morning, to move and fuel our body with healthy food. We have the privilege of health and to make our bodies feel good! Every waking day is a precious gift, and a good daily reminder is to wake and make our daily affirmation “make today count”! I started to be so thankful for what my body had given me. It had kept me alive and has served me all these years. How can I repay it? To nourish it with good food, movement and some kindness. Yes kind thoughts! Thoughts of gratitude and love!
I was ready to send more love to all of my body. It had given me so much cherished time here on earth and had amazingly created life and birthed 3 beautiful children. I use to be quick to point out the “repulsive” extra saggy skin left from my 4 pregnancies, but how was I neglecting how this space had birthed so much love and joy into my life? This extra skin was the ticket to my life becoming more rich and filled my extreme desire of becoming a mother. Therefore, I no longer viewed it as a “repulsive” place, but a beautiful token of life itself. Not only did this body bring forth these beautiful cherubs for myself to adore but also they were an incredible blessing for my husband, their grandparents and the extended family. What has your body given you in this life? What amazing times have you had together and your body just keeps serving you? Take this moment to send a little gratitude to your body, it is serving you well.
This is my stomach after a weight loss challenge. This photo made me cringe at the start but after a body love journey, it’s one of my favourite photos.
Lesson 3
The third lesson is the unfolding within my own yoga practise. I love to focus and theme my practise on the 8 limbs of yoga - Raja Yoga. When we go into an asana we scan, send no harm, no judgement and just lovingly note how we feel in that particular pose at the very moment. Knowing that today you can go deep into a pose while tomorrow you may not be able to. You can conquer the tree pose with precision and balance one day, then the next time you’re a wobbly mess. With this showing up every day in my practise, I started to let go of perfectionism and started to just let things be the way they are, in this very moment. I stopped holding myself back and knew this practise is a journey - and a beautiful one. Thankfully it has rippled out into my life and I no longer house this amount pressure to have it all together. It also taught me that everything is temporary. Each pose is not going to look the same everyday. Life is not going to be the same, it’s always going to change wether you like it or not! Your body is not going to stay the exact same weight or shape. Its inevitable, your body is going to get older and you cannot stop it! We are changing from year to year, and even hour to hour. It’s always adapting to your lifestyle. It’s going to react to your very thoughts, your food choices and your movement, in which you are participating with at this very moment in your life. It is going to change over the years and that is ok. And with this knowledge I want you to now understand the main key ingredient to truly loving your body, and that my beautiful friends is, acceptance! Accept your body for where it is at, what you have done to it, the age, the shape, the size, the colour, the amount of space it takes up and where it is at this very moment. It is exactly where it needs to be - it has served you! Everything is in perfect timing. When we can completely believe and accept your body for exactly the way it is, then we start to cut the ties of negative feelings such as judgement, hatred and comparison we housed within us. When this is cleared out, we create space inside. The universe is always going to fill that space. So instead of all the nasty emotions we have been holding onto, we then invite new positive feelings to enter. Acceptance brings love, gratitude, pleasure and freedom. Trust me the love will flow directly in and it is marvellous! This my lovely yoginis is the key to loving your body.
Embrace your uniqueness and know that being different is a fabulous thing, value and cherish this incredible gift of life and make today count, send thanks to your body for serving you and keeping you alive, know that we are all perfectly imperfect, accept your body at this very moment; clear out judgement and create space for love to flow through you, to all the parts of your sexy imperfect and gorgeous body. I hope this article has helped you flip any negative thought patterns and you’re able to house some love for your body. Love you! Love your body!
Much love and namaste,