Our bodies are our life-long companions.
From the day we are born until the last day we spend on this earth, they’re by our side.
Our heart beats between 2.5 to 3 billion times in an average lifetime and our skin renews itself around every 30 days.
That’s pretty remarkable, isn’t it?
I believe it is, but we don’t see it that way. Instead of loving our bodies, we beat them with words, hate on them with our actions and constantly try to change this part or that.
And while we engage in wishful thinking, we let our lives pass us by – until we wake up one day and realize we’ve missed out on the fun, love and joys of living.
I allowed my diet and my workout regime to dictate my life for many, many years. But after I committed to healing what felt broken inside, I changed the way I thought about my body and I was able to transform my life in many aspects. The life I live today is vastly different from the existence I led during my diet prison days.
By letting go of dieting, I was able to grow as a person and I finally took responsibility for my actions.
Here’s the thing: despite our beliefs, our success and fun in life doesn’t depend on our weight and shape. Or maybe it does, but in a very different way than you may believe.
If you’re still caught in the diet trap, but you are not sure in what ways your screwed up body image harms your everyday life, here are five signs and how you can get your life back.
You spend hours upon hours worrying about the way you look
If you tend to feel bad about your appearance and dwell on that fact for hours each day, you rob your mind of time to be creative, think differently and focus on what really matters. But not only that, you also waste tons of energy that you could use for so much more important activities.
When you stand in front of the mirror complaining about this body part or that, you put a huge negative layer over your day, which affects every single situation and every single decision you make. Your attitude will simply not be the best if you constantly put yourself down.
Do you really want to waste your time and life by reducing yourself to body parts or do you want to make a difference in this world by doing something meaningful and by adding value to other people’s lives?
Use your energy to work on your legacy instead of mentally beating yourself up. The next time you look in the mirror, focus on the parts you like and tell yourself that you are worth loving. Repeat this exercise over and over again.
Whenever you think negatively about your body, inquire the truth of your thoughts. You will notice that over time, your body-confidence will shoot to through the roof and you won’t spend nearly as much time sitting around with negative thoughts.
Turning your thoughts around will make a drastic change in your life.
You don’t engage in social activities because of your body
When you avoid going out with your friends because you fear they might judge your body or you are too self-conscious to face real life situations, your body image needs a major turn-around. Do you really believe that other people will only hang out with you because of your size? Do you think that others will talk negatively about you because you weigh a certain weight? Well, here is a newsflash for you: you are not in middle school anymore (at least, I hope you’re not) and people simply don’t care. People are not as superficial as the media makes us believe. Your family and friends love you because of the person you are and they don’t think of you any less when you’re not “photo-shopped perfect”.
Go out with your friends, have a few drinks, dance and have fun. Go play basketball, even if you are as short as I am. Go swimming with your friends, even if your belly shows. Be a dork, be goofy and simply let go. Don’t worry about your weight and simply enjoy the moments. You only live once.
You don’t feel you have the right to speak up because of your body shape
I know this feeling so well. I was always afraid of speaking up and telling the world my opinion. I thought that this was a right reserved for those with a better body. What a limiting and ridiculous notion that is!
Our value as a person does not have anything to do with our weight, but everything with what is inside: our compassion, our wit, our heart, our soul, our openness, our insecurities, our love and so much more.
So, no matter your shape or size, show the world your brilliance and put some value into each and every discussion. Ask for that promotion you have always dreamed of and worked so hard to get. You deserve it, wether you weigh ten pounds more or less. Voice your opinion, even if it differs from everybody else’s and don’t let your body insecurities hold you back.
You will see how much your life will change by no longer hiding your true voice behind your weight.
You don’t walk tall because of your body
When you don’t walk with your head held high because you fear that others will notice you, you clearly stand in the way of your own greatness. You should be proud of the person you are and you are so worthy of being seen.
Being confident is one of the most important aspects if you want to live life your way. Your body has no right to put a barrier to that. By sitting up straight or walking without lowering your gaze, you can instantly exude confidence. This simple act of straightening up will be noticable in all aspects of your life, from relationships to your career.
You avoid relationships because of your body
This is the most critical point when it comes to the magnitude in which your body image can damage your life. If you avoid intimate relationships or you always keep a certain distance to others because you feel self-conscious about yourself, you won’t ever experience the richness of life.
Relationships are the most rewarding experiences in life and, again, your body image has no business keeping you from being in a fulfilling, loving and intimate relationship with yourself and with a partner.
Let me ask you this simple question: would you rather be alone for the rest of your life than reaching out of your comfort zone and surrendering to your weight? You are so much more than your body, but you have to believe this in order to have other people see it.
When someone truly and deeply loves you, the person does not care about an extra few pounds or a few pounds less. When someone tells you they truly like you, don’t question it based on your weight, but believe them.
Don’t doubt yourself too much and simply give your body a chance to support your happiness at the exact weight it is right now. Don’t wait for tomorrow, but act today. Life won’t wait for you to finally feel comfortable, it is up to you to change your mindset and start falling in love with yourself and your body today.
Your life will thank you for it!
Ready to change your relationship with your body and yourself?
Join the Body-Love Wellness Circles – starting April 21!
- work on your relationship with your body
- dig deep into the reasons you’re holding on to body-hatred
- clear the path for a life of true freedom
- let go of the beliefs you’re holding on to about yourself, your body and food
- create a life that is true to what you actually want
- learn to live without dieting
- experience your body again
- learn stop your dependance on sugar and food
- find ease in your body and comfort in your skin
- learn to stop thinking about food all the time
- and SO much more!
To learn more and to join us, click here.
