{Body Positive} The Importance of Loving Your Body First

We’ve all been there, “I’ll buy those new jeans after I lose 10/20/40 lbs” or “I’ll buy that new bathing suit after I tone up.” Putting our lives on hold or depriving ourselves from an experience until we feel we have earned it by looking a certain way. 

But what happens when it takes longer than you thought?  Or for some reason you don’t reach your exact goal? What happens to all that time you spent depriving yourself of living your life to the fullest?

Now, I have nothing against improving your body. Taking care of your body and loving your body go hand in hand, but I don’t think you should put your life on hold until you reach a certain size or weight.

My 20’s were filled with this mentality. All I focused on was reaching a certain number on the scale, but when I finally reached it, it just wasn’t enough. My body was still not enough. I thought that losing the weight was all I needed to finally love my body, but what I didn’t realize was that losing the weight alone wasn’t going to heal the relationship I had with my body. 

I had to learn to love myself first, as I was.  Because no amount of weight loss could heal the broken relationship between my body and I.  Only time and changing the way I looked at my body would do that.

So while you focus on improving your body or as you consider it, know that the path of self love has to start with you learning to love yourself as you are this very moment. Learn to love your body with all its extra pounds, rolls, stretch marks, cellulite, wrinkles and flaws. Focus on the way you think and speak about your body. 

So, when you wake up in the morning, start your day by looking at your body and focusing on the things you love about it first. 

Then practice saying positive things about it. You can start small like “I love my smile” and work your way to other things like “I love my soft stomach”, “I love my curvy hips” or “I love my big round derriere”. 

Each day focus on something different and I promise you will start not only seeing the change in yourself but feeling it.

Meanwhile, stop putting your life on hold. Go out enjoy the sunshine on your skin. Enjoy your life, your friends, your loved ones. Don’t allow anyone, not society or your own internal thoughts to tell you that you don’t deserve an amazing life RIGHT NOW.