Gratitude is a theme in my life.
It is brought up in every single module of my Unstoppable LIFE Course and I’m pretty sure at all my speaking events too. Appreciation is essential to living an Unstoppable Life and it is how I was able to quickly shift my mindset after losing my arm.
When I was 13, I didn’t focus on what I had lost…I focused on all that I had (I was alive!, had a new mission to surf again, supportive family and friends, a purpose to encourage others…and more!).
I think there is something all of us women forget to be thankful for on a regular basis…our amazing bodies!
In May, I had the opportunity to be a part of an incredible event with some power-house guests hosted by Amy Purdy called “Bouncing Back: Learn to Live Beyond Limits and Be Unstoppable” (you can still get access to the event here!). Amy, who is a leg amputee, and I started off by talking about making peace with our bodies. On a daily basis, Amy and I could certainly focus on what we have lost and what makes us different, but what good would that do for us or anyone else!? Amy and I both choose to focus on what we HAVE and all that our bodies CAN do – and this focus is grounded in gratitude.
You can apply this thinking in your own life. It is an all too common experience for women to hate on their bodies for one reason or another. I have seen friends doing this throughout my life and it is heartbreaking. I think a lot of negative self-talk about bodies is often rooted in comparison (hello social media!). Why even compare your body to someone else’s? There is NO ONE like you. There is no perfect body. Every single body is different and unique. Every body is beautiful. You are the only one who can do YOU…so own and harness who you are…fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator who loves you and made no mistakes with you. Instead of focusing on what you don’t like about your body, or your supposed limitations, it’s time to CHOOSE THANKFUL and be grateful for the truly remarkable body that you have.
I am thankful for my senses that help me take in the beauty around me.
I am thankful for my body that has carried me through every day of my life.
I am thankful for breath in my lungs.
In my Unstoppable Life course my guest Arielle Estoria and I talk about Letting Go of Comparison and Arielle challenged us to be thankful for what our body is capable of and REMEMBER what it has already done. Making peace with my body has also led me to focus on and pursue health because I want to honor my body, be a good steward of it, and my body feels better when I am using it and caring for it and loving it.
Let’s choose to be thankful for these incredible bodies we have and practice good health every day!
P.S. Now that you can choose individual mini courses in my Unstoppable Life Course why not start with a few that will help empower you to make peace with and even love your body like: Letting Go of Comparison, Optimizing Health, and Training Your Mind.
