Is there anything more annoying than being told you should  do something?

You should  floss every day.  

You should  think positive thoughts.

You should  exercise, eat right, meditate, get lots of sleep, be nice to strangers, stay away from booze and drugs, and rescue stray kittens in your spare time.

And then there’s the Mother of all Shoulds, one that’s bandied about in psycho-spiritual circles again and again.

You should  love yourself.

And, while you’re at it, you should  love your body.

The problem with shoulds, other than the fact that they’re completely annoying, is they’re much easier to say  than do.

How  are we supposed to love our bodies? Especially if we have a long and complicated history of not  loving them.

Indeed, actively despising them?

Yes, despise  is a strong word, but there are lots of factors that contribute to not-so-nice relationships with our body temples.

Abuse, neglect, societal pressures and messages. The list is endless.

Luckily, there’s also an endless list of ways to shift our relationship with our bodies.

Yoga. Meditation. Affirmations. Exercise. Therapy. Gratitude practice. Dance.

In this post, I would like to share a body healing practice anyone can do.

Well, anyone who bathes.

And I assume that’s most of us.

Here’s how it works:

1. You take a bath/shower/hottub.
2. Afterwards, grab a Towel of Love and Appreciation.
   (FYI: This is your regular towel.)
3. As you dry off each part of your body with your towel, allow Love and Appreciation to soak into each part.
4. You can activate this Love and Appreciation by visualizing light and love flowing into your body. Or focus on the feeling  of love in your body.
5. You can also speak words of gratitude to each part of your body, either silently or aloud.

Phrases can include: I love you. I appreciate you. Thank you for all you do for me.

If this is too much of a stretch, say: I am willing to appreciate you. I am willing to learn to love you.

Or: I am willing to be willing.

For different parts of your body, you can thank them for specific tasks.

Your legs, for running and walking and carrying you around.

Your arms, for holding children and groceries and packages and everything else you put in them.

Your mouth, for speaking and singing and eating and drinking.

The best part of this practice is that it doesn’t take much time.

Plus it’s something you can do every day.

Since I started doing this a few weeks ago, I’ve found that my love and appreciation for my body has definitely grown stronger.

I’m not going to say you should  do this practice, because that would be annoying.

But I am  going to encourage you to try it.

Grab a towel of Love and Appreciation and give it a go!

It’s quick.

It’s easy.

And your body will thank you!

How do you love your body? Share your comments below!

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