19 Jun '20
Your Unique Body: Love Her
Written by Tedi Serge, Co-founder of Girl Powerful
How flexible are you with the changes you are dealing with during a pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement? The past 4 months have forced us to pivot, educate, listen, take precautions, and keep our overall mental health at the forefront of our lives. While navigating uncharted territory, we’ve been forced to focus on ourselves whether we liked it or not. Being quarantined at home was like a veil was lifted on our thought patterns, behaviors and what wasn’t working for the collective good.
Our bodies interpret stress and change in different ways. I believe this is a time of awakening and monumental change for the mind and body. Grab a journal and ask yourself…
- Did you let your fear and emotions take over your mental health or did you take the time to practice self-love by thanking your body - your vessel, for being flexible with all of this change?
- Have you accepted how your body has changed over the past few months? Your body may be feeling tight with stress or maybe your body has never felt more like you because you have had time to nurture her.
Now that you have reflected on how your mind and body adapted to your environment, we need to make a plan for how to take care of her so she can thrive in gritty and graceful moments. Holding yourself accountable for how you treat your body was magnified in 2020 and since we are halfway through the year, it is a great time to do a midyear check-in.
True body positivity is all about being empowered to be a healthy human and love yourself no matter what the scale says, what shape your body is or what size yoga leggings or yoga bra top you wear. We are all designed so differently. Why do we all want to break that design so badly? The most powerful yet vulnerable thing to do is to actually be proud of who you are... proud to live authentically in your own skin.
So how do we stay true to our unique body in this moment? Here are 3 tips.
- Thank her: Before you get out of bed everyday thank your body. Tell her what you appreciate about her. If there are areas of your body that you are uncomfortable with, send that area love and attention. It will shift your outlook on what you have instead of what you don’t have.
- Move her daily: Give yourself a chance to connect with your body daily by honoring her ability to move.
- Activate her yoga practice: Yoga means union --- union with the infinite. Practicing yoga creates union with ourselves, union with our bodies, and a sense of self-love and self-acceptance. Find a method of yoga that resonates with you. This will help you keep your mind flexible and prepared for whatever the rest of 2020 throws our way.
Together with our strong, healthy, beautiful bodies we'll grow into more compassionate, connected and courageous individuals. Remind yourself that this time was needed for change, personally and collectively. The love you give yourself will create a ripple effect onto others, so treat yourself with love and respect.
You can find more inspiration and mental health tips to spark your inner confidence on IG @teditalks and @girlpowerfulproject. www.girlpowerfulproject.org