I'm not proud of the fact that for most of my life I've hated my body. I never liked my hair (too fine), my hips (too big) - I could go on, but you get the picture. When I look back at all that negative thinking and frustration with myself I'm shocked at how much energy and time I have wasted. It's also painful to think about all that negative energy that I put out into the world, partly because I know that the energy you put out comes back to you multiplied. Not a happy thought. And I know I'm not alone.
I have learned how to make peace with my body. The things I hated before I've actually learned to like. For example, I can now celebrate the fact that my hair takes only a few minutes to dry, whereas other women spend hours drying their hair. But learning to love myself and my body has taken a long time. When I was young I thought I was overweight (I wasn't). When I turned 40 I gained weight and nothing worked for me - I dieted, went on cleansing programs, exercised like crazy, took hormones, you name it - I tried it and it didn't work, I actually gained more weight. When I made peace with my body, I began to lose weight - and it wasn't difficult.
It's a sad fact that the majority of women feel the same way I did about their bodies. Most of them at the least dislike, and at the worst hate something about themselves and their bodies. I hear women say it all the time. I know beautiful, very slim and fit women who complain that their stomach is too big (I can assure you it never is). Women spend so much time and energy berating themselves for the way they are - just imagine if they took all that energy and put it into something positive.
Of course, the biggest issue that women focus on is their weight. You know what I mean - if you've ever been disappointed when shopping for clothes because nothing ever looks right, feels right or fits you right - it can't be the clothes, so it must be you! If you've ever cringed at the sight of your reflection in a mirror or if you've avoided going somewhere or doing something because of how you look or feel. If you put on a bathing suit and all you want to do is cover yourself up. If you have clothes hanging in your closet that don't fit you but have been there for years because at some point you're going to fit into them again.
Why do we beat ourselves up so much about our bodies? Why is it that the harder we 'try' to change something, like weight, the harder it becomes? You're smart. You have control in other ares of your life. Why can't you control this? Why does your body seem to defy you? Can things ever change?
The good news is that yes, things can change. I am living proof of that and I know other women who have made peace with their bodies. When you make peace with your body and yourself, then you stop fighting the war against yourself. Your body can then do what it knows how to do - which is adjust to a normal weight, and return to perfect health. When you make peace with yourself the solutions and resources you need present themselves to you, effortlessly. You don't have to 'try' to change something - you allow it to change naturally. You're not forcing it.
It's not easy to let go of the fight. Particularly because of all the messages around you telling you that if you just do this diet or exercise program or if you just take these pills or buy this equipment you'll find the solution. sometimes these things work - for a while. But unless you resolve your issues with yourself it's really difficult to find a permanent solution. But you know that, if you're like me, you've tried most things that are out there anyway.
Making peace with yourself not only helps you re-claim your energy - all that energy that you've been wasting over the years - it brings you peace. Remember also that the energy that you put out comes back to you multiplied, so if you put out the energy that you're not good enough because you're body is not how you'd like it to be, then you'll also be feeling inadequate or not good enough in other areas of your life. So if you think that raging against your body has no influence on anyone or anything else in your life, you would be wrong.
So how do you make peace with yourself? Well, the first step is to stop 'trying' to change. Accept yourself just as you are. I know that is difficult, but you can also accept that you're not happy with the way your body looks, just accept that it is the way it is. Once you can truly accept, then and only then can things really start to change. Accepting doesn't mean giving up. It means that you stop trying to force change. You're going to allow it to happen naturally.
The second step is to develop complete self-awareness. You have to be aware of every thought you think, every emotion you feel. You have to be willing to feel the anger or the pain or the disappointment, rather than trying to stuff it down inside. You have to learn to understand yourself. Of course, many people would rather just try another diet or exercise program than take the time to become self-aware. But if you want peace and to be able to love yourself, it's the only way.
Linda Binns is an Energy Coach and Mentor, helping professional women and women business owners achieve work-life balance and freedom by identifying and releasing whatever is holding them back.
For a FREE report on 3 Simple Things That Will Take You From Stuck to Unstoppable, and subscription to FREE ezine and energy tips, go to http://www.EnergeticEdgeExpert.com.
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert
No comments :
Post a Comment