Your body is listening to everything your mind says!
How often do we stop and reflect on this fact? When you go through out your day thinking, “I need to hurry and do this and hurry and do that because I don’t have enough _______________(energy/time/money/etc).” Or berating your body because it doesn’t look like it used to, move like it used to, or have the strength it used to.
Do you accept compliments? Or do you brush them off? When someone says, “You look pretty today,” do you think, it’s only because I have makeup on? Or you have to say that? Or do you pause and truly receive it?
Are you angry or frustrated with what your body struggles with? “Why can’t I eat that?” “How come I can’t get pregnant?” “If only I could lose 10 pounds then I’d _____________!” “Why do I have to have these issues?”
What is the soundtrack that your body is hearing? Our words, even unspoken ones, become flesh. If we talk bad about others and focus on their negative qualities it is really hard for those other people to do right in our eyes. We have predetermined that they have false/ugly/evil motives. Those negative thoughts cannot foster a healthy positive relationship with others or with ourselves. When this is our internal sound track it is no wonder that so many of us struggle with mental health things like anxiety, depression, or feeling inadequate.
I want you to reflect on this a moment. If your body hears EVERYTHING you think and say and is constantly being torn down, we are subjecting ourselves to a state of chronic stress. When we are stressed we are not able to function as we ought. It doesn’t matter if that stress is running from a bear, overwhelmed by your work, physical stressors of disease, toxic relationships with toxic people, or negative self talk. It will prevent us from being able to be truly present to someone else because our most basic needs are not being met. We will be drawn to more harmful toxic relationships with others and accept things for ourselves that are less than ideal. (If you treat yourself bad and think you don’t deserve anything why would you stop someone else from treating you bad?) Whether that is an inferior job, a harmful living environment, or chronic health issues that you feel you must deserve.
You need to ask yourself how is your internal dialogue? Regardless of what you are asking your body to do whether it is just function from one day to the next, or the grand amazing task of carrying a new life inside of you. Be mindful of how you talk to your body and how that can impact your goals. It can carry as big of a weight as exercising, work stress, relationship issues, and what you are fueling your body with.
So what can we do? After all, this is probably the way you have always ‘talked’ to your body. The answer is simple, though it is not easy. We need to rewire our negative thoughts. consistently. for the better. Here are a few things to try.
I can never lose weight. I have struggled to lose weight in the past but this time I’m going to be successful.
Everyone else get’s pregnant. I will be pregnant too.
I’m so unhealthy. My health is a journey and I’m getting better.
I never have time to exercise. I am really busy but I prioritize what is important and I am important.
I am so ugly. My body is amazing and it does incredible things.
I don’t deserve any better. I have made some mistakes but God made me and I am worthy of praise/dignity/better health.
You need to dig deep inside and identify those harmful thoughts and replace them with positive ones that fuel you instead of drain you. Find the words that resonate with your soul. This may only be one negative thought you combat at a time.
For example, I struggle with enough. There are not enough hours in the day. I don’t have enough energy to workout. There is not enough food in the house. (This is a weird one we live 5 minutes from 4 grocery stores!) I’m too busy to help with that. My knowledge base is not enough to help people. When I’m really honest with myself I think I am not enough.
It can be hard to pinpoint where these things come from. I’m honestly not sure what wound or scar I carry that has led me to think in terms of scarcity. But I can tell you since identifying this and rewiring my brain to, “There is enough”, I have noticed everything shift. I now find there is enough time in the day. I’m able to get my daily prayer time, exercise, help the kiddos, make dinner, run a business, whatever it is in that day that I have determined is the top priority. Coming from a mindset of abundance has helped me be able to accomplish more. Of course it isn’t as if there are now magically more hours in the day but I can tell you I am more driven and motivated knowing that if I am disciplined my dreams and goals are becoming my reality and that fuels me on for more.
I want that same freedom for you! Because you, my friend, are worth it.
The trick is to consistently focus on the rewiring and relearning how we say things. It can take just a few minutes a day but over the course of just a few weeks can make a radical impact on your overall health.
You are strong. You are brave. Your body is amazing it does incredible things. You are on a healing journey. Life can be a bit of a dance party. You are capable, confident, and the world needs YOU to be fully alive! So stop the berating and excuses and embrace who you were made to be! The world needs you and your unique gifts.
I encourage you to spend some time in quiet prayer what are the beliefs you hold about yourself that are holding you back from living more fully alive?