How’s your relationship with your body going?
In the online business space they talk about Know, Like and Trust a lot when trying to build a relationship between your company and your customers. Do your customers know, like and trust you enough to buy something from you? How do you cultivate that relationship. A lot of thought goes into it.
But I wish we would apply that thinking a lot more to our relationship with our own bodies. For a long time I sure didn’t have one or give it any thought (or credit). I used to describe myself as existing a few feet above my head. But as I learned more and more how to be kind to myself, heal trauma, and make up my own mind about what was useful and beautiful, I began to realise I did have a significant relationship in my life with the physicality of me. And, also I did not feel remotely close to the “You must LOVE your body” crowd. It felt like a jump too far.
So instead I offer a little intimacy building before that big jump to love. Healthy right?? What does it look like to Know, Like, and Trust our bodies?
Do we know them, our bodies? What’s normal for them, what’s not, what their limit is, what gives them pleasure and relief, how they respond to nourishment or lack of it, how long they’ll run on fumes, what does it take to refill them, what support do they need…
Do we like them, our bodies? Not just in the societal norms kind of way, where we are measuring them against some idea, but do we like the way they react to things? When I hear some classical music I have tingles in circles around my chest! So weird. So wonderful. The freckles on my collarbone look like the constellation Cassiopeia… Do we like the way they feel when they stretch or the number of times they sneeze when they look into the sun?
Do we trust them, our bodies? Do we listen to what they are telling us and trust them enough to act accordingly? My body used to give me a cold sore every time I was dangerously rundown, to keep things interesting now that I’m older it pops a blood vessel in my eye. It tries to tell me in unequivocal terms that I need rest. Do I listen though? Not always.
And it’s completely ok if you don’t know, like, and trust your body. You don’t have to have a relationship with your body to be alive and going about your dreams. There are a billion reasons why you don’t and a lot involve trauma. Go gently and just be curious if it’s something you might want.
If it is, tell me how you know, like and trust your body?
Want to know more about “How to Give Yourself Permission?” Download my short audio course today and begin the journey of being more kind to yourself while you learn to take action. https://www.slsourwine.com/howtogiveyourselfpermission