"Squeeze that ab...6,7,8,9, one more...uuughhhh 10! Phew!! That's it. I can't do it anymore".
How much do you weigh? When are you going to start taking care of all that weight? Don't you want to look good? If you don't become thin no one is ever going to marry you. Don't be lazy, get off your ass and workout.
How many of us have been there and heard that?
I am guessing we have heard these comments and others much worse. Weight is such a big problem and root cause of unhappiness. Why does everyone focus of how good one must look and not on how healthy one must be? We feel that if we are a certain weight then we will be happy. Is that true?
Do you think being your ideal weight you will be happy? Do you think that people who are not are unhappy?
Being a certain weight and then waiting for happiness is such a horrible concept that just ruins everybody's life. The world is focusing on all the wrong stuff when it comes to weight. Hoping, craving, getting depressed, starving, getting sick, and all this for what?
If only I was *insert ideal weight* then I would be happier. People will respect me, love me.
Isn't this such a sad thing to feel? And who is to blame for a world of unhappiness? It's us. It's people like you and me. It's your closest friends and family. It's the way the world is talks about weight and being skinny. I for one am exhausted at this never ending sadness the world and its people are putting inside of them. Children are becoming anorexic and bulimic, and for what??? To fit into a dress that says size 0? Some jackass started some fad somewhere about being skinny and that's gone viral. It is more like a virus. A viral infection.
How many of us can look into the mirror and really appreciate themselves for they are? Oh no...don't look at that blemish, or that muffin top. Why not! Why not love each and every imperfection in us that makes us so perfect. Each one of us is beautiful just the way we are. Imagine a world where everyone looks the same. The same make up. The same fashion sense. How boring would that be?
I feel that our body image has everything to do with how we think of ourselves. 'Body-esteem' I like to call it, is extremely low in each of us. And now we are infecting our children with body-esteem issues.When are we going to realize that our bodies are magical beings, and our minds their controllers? Please don't think that I am telling you not to take care of your health. That is the most important thing. Aim to be fit not thin. The focus is all wrong. I for one have battled weight issues all my life. And one thing that I realized is that as long as I am happy, my body also reacts to the change and is more radiant, and the extra weight also seems to drop off.
So what do we do?
Erase all negative thoughts from your mind. Easier said than done, this one. But let me tell you something. A happier mind is a happier body and a happier life. And who wouldn't want that? We spend so much money on so many different things like cosmetics and weight loss solutions that we forget to use the most powerful tool of them all. The Mind!
Here are a few suggestions to turn your body-esteem issues into body loving and happier living.
1) Just Be. Sit quietly for a few minutes in a place you feel calm and peaceful. It could be your bed, in front of a lake or a water body, a garden or a park, or anywhere where you are not disturbed by everything going on in your life, Now just listen. Yes, listen. Listen to your breathing, listen to the sounds all around you, try listening to the beat of your heart. Allow thoughts to come in. I am sure many of you may think, what am I doing? I feel like such an idiot just sitting here all by myself. That is okay. Just be.
2) Focus. Focus on your thoughts and your feelings. Listen to what they are telling you. Try not to hold on to them, listen and let it go. In the beginning it is a little difficult not to get caught up on your thoughts. If it helps, close your eyes. Now focus on your feelings. What do you feel? Do you feel the breeze caressing your face? The softness of the grass beneath your feet? Do you feel the calm spreading over your body? Can you feel the excitement in your soul? Focus on what you feel. Any emotion that comes into your mind. Feel it.
3) Be a child. Think of how it would be if you were a child again. Would you feel carefree? How would you feel? Children are the greatest teachers one can have. Look at them play, look at them laugh, look at them cry. What do you see? They do it with all their little heart. That is the key to being happy. They don't focus on how fat they are or how sad they feel or what their future holds. Imagine if you were a child once again. What would you do differently? Would you laugh whole heartedly? Would you play more? Act silly? Dance? Twirl? Get down and dirty? Does this excite you?
4) Make a list. A list of things that inspire you, people that inspire you. Make a list of things you always wanted to do and have not had the time to do. It could be anything, like sleeping the whole day to going on a trip. Sometimes we forget who we really are. We forget that we are magical beings. We are not machines, and we need to do things that makes us happy, that excite us. Try doing only those things that excite you everyday, and look at your life change.
5) Get creative. Paint, dance, sing as loud as you can. Don't worry if you are good at it or not. Do you think a child cares if his/her little drawing is a master piece? Don't worry about who is looking, or who is judging you. Understand that those who do are lost in the mundane world of societal rules. They may laugh at you and call you crazy for doing what you are doing. But don't let that stop you. Shaking your body loose will not only relax your body, but does something to your mind that makes you smile.
6) Laugh a lot. Laughing releases stress from your mind, and is sooooo contagious. Watch funny movies or videos that make you laugh like crazy. Laughing makes you feel so good inside. It makes the world look good again. I can't stress enough how much laughter helps. Get goofy and play pranks with your friends or your loved ones and just laugh. It also helps you sleep better, mind gets clearer, and it has unbelievable effects on your health.
7) Be kind. First of all be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself for your past mistakes. Take only the good stuff from all your experiences. Try not to be so stern with yourself. Then be kind to strangers. How many of us pass a stranger on the road struggling with something, and we just keep walking. Why not stop and give them a hand? Maybe they are having a bad day, and your kind gesture may life their spirit. Pay a compliment to someone, spread a few smiles, help an elderly person cross the road, offer to help your neighbor or friend if they need it. We are becoming such mechanical people, that technology is what runs our lives now. Our world is in dire need of love and kindness. A small gesture of kindness will make you feel so good.
8) Be grateful. Thank the Universe/God/Earth for what you have. We forget to thank the Source for all the good things in our lives because we tend to focus on the negative. But each day be thank for the love you have in your life, from your kids, your parents, your friends, your spouse, your pet, or anything that makes you happy. Be grateful for the roof over your head, the food that you eat, the bed that you sleep on. Be grateful for your body, your legs, your hands, your brain, your skills, yourself. Being grateful is a powerful tool. The more grateful you are the more positive your life will be. I have seen this happen in my life.
9) Visualize. You want that perfect body, so what do you do? Visualize! Imagine the way you want to look. Write it down, every detail. Visualize you have beautiful healthy hair, radiant complexion, healthy teeth, a fit and healthy body, and a perfectly well oiled inside. Now if you can, record it. Make sure you say, 'I have' instead of 'I am going to have' or 'I will have'. Listen to this recording whenever you can. Put on your headphones and listen to it even while you do your regular work. Believe what you hear, feel it with every fiber in your body. Feel as if you are what you say you are in your recording. Do this everyday. Look at yourself in the mirror and visualize yourself they way you want to be. Try not to focus on the negative images that you get in your mind. Within a month of believing in your visualization, you will see results.
10) Eat healthy. Diets don't work. Trust me, I have tried so many of them. But the important thing is to know what is going into your body. Read your labels, if possible avoid buying packaged food, refine sugars or artificial sweeteners, or processed products. Fizzy drinks that erode the enamel of your teeth could be doing much worse in your tummy. The new you doesn't need artificial things, it needs nutrients. Try to avoid carcinogenic foods, fast foods, and foods that come out of packets. I know you must have heard millions of people say this. But remember our goal is to make ourselves healthy. Try healthier options of everything. You know fried food is not good. If you cannot avoid it, eat smaller portions. By satiating your taste buds, you don't deprive yourself of them.
11) Stay Active. Shake your body, go for a long walk at what ever pace you want to go on, go hiking, or camping, play a sport, go to a mall and window shop, exercise, dance like crazy, play with your kids or your pets. Play...that is the secret. When we play we do not realize how time flies. And we do not feel like we are exercising. Its a small trick that not only makes you happy, but also helps you lose extra weight. Happier people are more active, and hence have better health. Remember be like a child. So lets play!
12) Be yourself. What is it that you feel like being today? Be that today. Do what ever makes you smile, and be happy. When you are yourself, you feel free, and your spirit soars. You will also begin to love yourself. Don't beat yourself up with whatever happened in the past, and do not worry about the future. Just be. Make a choice to let go of your negative past, and choose to redefine yourself. You are not what you are 5 mins ago. Try living in the now, feel each and every emotion, live in the moment. You can choose to be whoever you want to be. So why not choose to be a happier person, and not wait for someone or something to make you happier.
Wait, what about the weight? Well, being happy and loving the way you are will help you lose those extra pounds. A happy mind that doesn't judge its body for the way it is, and that doesn't let anyone else dictate how its body should look, will automatically programme itself into looking for ways to keep you healthy and happy. It's all about being in love with yourself. And this is how I feel you can fall in love with yourself, all over again.
Happy falling in Love!
by, Teja Priyadarshini
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