(Psssst! If you’re “late” to the challenge and just getting started, that’s OK too! Just go at your own pace! Start with this blog post and scroll to the bottom, and make sure you have what you need to complete the challenge and fill out the 10 questions you need to fill out before you get started. Then you can take it day by day at your own pace!)
Recap
Oh hiiiiiii! Welcome to Day 14. We are halfway through out 28 day challenge and I am so excited that you’ve stuck with it so far. Hopefully it has become a part of your daily routine, and you’re noticing major changes in your thought process and outlook.
(Psssst…if you are. I’d love to hear them below in the comments section! Thanks!)
Yesterday was Day 13 of the Love Your Body Challenge, and the reason to love your body was,
“Because it’s honesty and intuition is incredibly powerful.”
This day seemed to be more polarizing than many of the other days in terms of your all’s thoughts on your intuition. Several women who are in recovery for eating disorders talked about how much mistrust they have with their body’s ability to give them hunger and fullness cues, and their mistrust surrounding their body’s ability to respond to an increase in calories.
“When I had my eating disorder, I was in a place where my body was the enemy. I was certain, when I started recovery, that my body was out of control and couldn’t be trusted. One of the hardest parts of recovery was starting to eat enough again and trusting that my body would get used to the food without ballooning…
…I’m learning now that the more I can trust it, the more it will just do what it needs to do. It’s balancing out, I’m starting to feel hunger and fullness cues more than ever before, and I’m even starting to trust my intuition when it comes to things like working out and which workout is “best” for me.”
Other women reached out and talked about being extremely ‘tuned in’ to their intuition and how beneficial this intuition is, and the more they take care of themselves, the better their intuition becomes.
“My body is like one big antenna. I can feel people’s intentions, I can connect with the divinity within them, I can tell if I should not trust them, I can tell if they are dangerous or afraid and respond in a way that is calming. Often, I can feel a “ringing true” when I am thinking or acting in alignment with what I feel is my highest self. Just as with any other antenna, I get a stronger and clearer signal the more I take care of myself, clear away static nutritionally and in my thinking, and tune in my energy with healthy activity and rest.”
Reason #14 To Love Your Body
14. Because I’m not just, “strong for a girl.” I am just plain STRONG.
Yes, being strong is a reason we have touched on twice now, but with very good reason. Recognizing our own strength is an absolutely critical piece of the self-embracement puzzle, and too often we simply think of being “strong” as just a physical attribute, and don’t recognize the mental and emotional strength we possess.
In that same vein, as I discussed last week, we often apologize for being strong. We shy away and try to “dim our light” as to not offend or turn off anyone else. Instead we must recognize that shining brightly unconsciously gives others permission to shine as well (thank you, Marianne Williamson).
Today we focus on the fact that we are not just, “strong for a girl.”
We don’t just, “look good for having 2 kids.”
And we’re not just, “pretty for our age.”
We just simply are those things.
No qualifiers necessary.
There’s no reason to set the bar lower because of our gender, age, size, or family status. Know that.
Mantra: “I am strong, smart, powerful, and beautiful, and my actions have a direct and positive effect on these truths.”
Repeat this (to yourself or out loud) 10 times right now, 10 times during your action step, and 10 times before bed.
Action step: Take 5 minutes to write down beliefs you have, or compliments you’ve been given that are similar to those above Then re-write them without the qualifier, and add what you have done to deserve the compliment so that you can truly believe it. Then read them to yourself 3 times.
For example, “you look great for having 2 kids,” becomes, “I look great because I’ve worked very hard in the gym to get stronger, and I’ve been very diligent with my nutrition and sleep.”
This allows you to recognize that these truths are based on your actions, and therefore truly acknowledge and accept them.
Keep your eyes peeled for Day 15
Molly Galbraith is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Coach who has dabbled in both Figure and Powerlifting competitions. She is Co-Founder of Girls Gone Strong and J-M Strength.Her life's mission is to help women give themselves grace and compassion when it comes to their bodies so that they can discover and accept what their best body looks like.
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