Monday Musings: Body Image

 How do you feel about your body?  

I admit that I have spent far too much of my life with negative feelings about mine.  An endless litany of "that part is too big", "that part is too small", "that part is too jiggly", "that part could be better".  From my hair to my hips, from my nose to my legs.  I haven't been my body's best friend. 

As we reach a certain age, our bodies begin to change again.  I know I have felt it happening. Things are getting wrinkly.  Some things aren't as firm as they used to be.  I've put on weight, even in some areas where I never carried weight in the past.  It's easy for those old negative feelings to fill our heads. 

I have made a conscious decision to start trying to counter those self-defeating thoughts with more appreciative and affirming ones.  When I catch myself looking at my body with critical eyes, I make a point of thinking about things that I appreciate about it and can be grateful for. 

My body is unique, designed especially to house my spirit and for the purpose I was created to fulfill.

My body grew and nurtured 2 babies for 9 months each.  And continued to feed them after they were born. 

My body is adaptive and is always changing depending on the season, the environment, and the season of life that I am in. 

My body has fought off numerous viruses and bacterial infections over the years.

My body heals itself when wounded.

My body is healthy enough to do most things I want to do.

My body is always at work.  My heart is always beating. My lungs are always breathing. My hair and nails are always growing. Never taking a break. 

My body has held up despite all the things I did to it in my younger years (smoking, not getting enough sleep, etc) 

My eyes have shown me beautiful, incredible, funny, sad, and touching things every day.

My mouth can taste amazing foods for me to enjoy.

My hands can work a crochet hook and yarn to create beautiful and useful things.

What do you appreciate about your body?