Thank you body

What are you grateful for in regards to your body and physical being? Does this seem like a strange question?

We are so keen to harp on our "flaws" that many times we overlook all the ways our body functions beautifully without (in spite of?) our assistance.

Our bodies breathe for us; they get us from point A to point B multiple times a day, they keep us upright and level most of the time (no small feat) they digest food for us and extract the nutrients in the food we eat in order to support our daily lives.

And those are just basics.

If you are up on the latest mind-body research, you may know that organs have sensory capabilities. Your stomach can "feel" as much as your brain. The chemicals in your brain which contribute to your ability to sense also exist elsewhere in your body. Hmmm, interesting thought.

Does your stomach know how much your brain dislikes it? How about your thighs? Are they on speaking terms with your mind?

There's a poignant scene in the movie "What the Bleep Do We Know?" where the main character is screaming hateful comments about her body to herself in a mirror. The argument is made in the movie that her negative emotions unleash a cascade of harmful chemicals in her body therefore damaging it. It's a provocative and scary idea. Especially considering that most of us engage in regular negative self talk about our bodies.

Let's get back to appreciation for a second. As women, it's a little odd for us to spend time acknowledging what we like about our bodies. If that's hard for you, I suggest that you start with what you're grateful for.

Let me share some ideas: I am grateful to my body that I am stronger physically now at age 48 than I was in my twenties. I am grateful that I can climb many flights of stairs without getting winded. I am grateful that for all intents and purposes, my body ungrudgingly and uncomplainingly functions well for me.

In return, I want to be a wise and generous caretaker. One day I will no longer have my body.
I hope that I will have no regrets on how I've treated it.

Thank you body.

In health,

Laura