How do you REALLY perceive your body?
Earlier this Summer(2020), I had an interesting moment while becoming frustrated with my body for not being as curvy as I wanted it to look in a bathing suit.
I remember suddenly bursting in tears. But not because I “disliked my body” at that moment but rather because I realized how often I’m mean to my body. How often I criticize it for not looking differently.
Yes! I truly cried! I had never done this before. I realized that each time I say words like, “I hate my boy figure” or “I hate my overly developed glute medius because it makes my butt look too manly instead of rounded or heart shaped”, that I’m actually rejecting and betraying my body and all the beautiful things it is capable of doing.
For the first time in my life I was able to separate my judgmental mind from the gift that my physical body is.
Its incredible strength. Its ability to show up for me no matter how my mind feels on a given day.
The human body is so amazing! We barely understand what’s happening without much less what’s happening within. In turn, we take for granted all the work that it is constantly doing in order to keep us alive and healthy.
Next time you catch yourself being mean to your thighs, hips, belly, or triceps; STOP, and instead, think about how those triceps did hold you up on that plank or how your belly shows up for you every time you get on the mat to do those ab curls.
That same belly carries underneath of it a whole system of perfectly functional vital organs and cells that work synergistically to help you live another day. It’s right there! Happening right inside of you and all around your entire physical being.
Be awed by it! Love and appreciate it! Give it freaking props! Care for it as much as you can by putting good things in it but don’t do it because you’re punishing it.
Let go if you made not so “perfect” choices sometimes and move on to making better choices tomorrow.
The way our mind speaks to our bodies will impact the way it reacts and feels overall.
Trust me, I know! I’m all for having physical aesthetic goals too. I do believe it’s okay to work on whatever it is we want to achieve. I love the idea of sculpting because for me, this is much like art.
But sometimes those goals are based on the illusion of perfection that the beauty, fashion, and yes, even the fitness industry has ingrained in our minds.
Ideas such as “only hourglass bodies are sexy” or “only legs with thigh gaps look beautiful”.
Sure, be inspired and admire someone else’s body but that doesn’t have to translate into you being mean to your own body.
Have goals and enjoy strengthening and sculpting your own physique but again, not at the cost of being mean to yourself. Instead, transform from a place of love and kindness.
This isn’t black and white. You don’t have to choose self love/acceptance over a toned body or vice versa. It is possible to have both.
Self love starts within and trust me when I tell you, often times it has very little to do with the physical.
Our battles are rather internal. It’s the fucked up perceptions and noise that we have to overcome to be at peace while enjoying the process of whatever goal we may have.
Goals – judgement = Peace and Self Love
Stay strong my beauty! You got this ??
xo,
Vilmaliz
#VBMETHOD
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