How to love your tummy in 5 easy steps: Step 4

Appreciate It!

There’s nothing that brings me more joy than rediscovering the tiny things that I often take for granted. I do this the most in the moments when I feel I have nothing going for me or when I am filled with doubt. I get caught up thinking I wished I looked another way or that if I made different choices and that if somehow I could change that, my life would be “better”. We are faced with these situations every single day. I try to be aware of how I respond to the little things because I feel it prepares me for the bigger things. I will deal with looking at myself in the mirror on a daily basis more than I will spend time wearing a bikini or trying on clothes. So when I look at my newly formed (not deformed) post baby/big weight loss body I must look deeper and appreciate what I have. Even if I have to get into the finer details.

Here’s how that appreciation flows through my head:

  1. I have all parts of my body (well, most if you don’t count the missing ovary, gall bladder, and wisdom teeth) and that pretty amazing. How many people in war torn or land mine filled countries have lost limbs or have lost limbs because they had no access to medical care?
  2. My current organs work in harmony and have caused me very little inconvenience. I can pretty much breath, digest, ovulate, move, manipulate objects, see, hear, taste, feel, smell (not always a perk but hey), and think the way I’m designed to. I can spend hours breaking these down to the most basic of functions and be in absolute awe.
  3. I’ve given birth to two brand new human beings. This shouldn’t even require a reason to point out as a reason to appreciate our bodies but man I think we forget it all the time by only focusing on the aftermath. YOU HAD ANOTHER PERSON IN YOUR BODY THAT WOULD HAVE NEVER EXISTED OTHERWISE. How do we not wake up in the morning and stare at that in more amazement and wonder?

Now, I have been called a tall version of Yoda and a skinnier version of Buddha for talking and posting about this topic constantly and I think that’s pretty awesome but that makes me think that this way of thinking is out of reach for people and it’s totally not. I challenge you to take 2-5 minutes (you have the time, even if it’s only your time on the toilet) and look around you and find as many things as you can to be grateful for. Can’t come up with anything? Send me a comment and I’ll help you get the ball rolling because sometimes we really can’t see without the help of others. Do this more and more and it will get easier and easier and it will become your default way of thinking.

Can’t relate to the #mombod thing? I distinctly remember one night I was lying down crying on my kitchen floor (can’t even remember why at this point) and as I lay on the cold tile staring up at my ceiling I forced myself to stop going down my emotional downward spiral. That’s tough because it’s a lot easier to keep those thoughts going but that’s not what I want my time on earth to be all about. That isn’t the underlying emotion and character I want to demonstrate to my children. This woe is me can’t be my default. Ok so back to me on the kitchen floor. I stared into my kitchen and thought of every possible thing I had to be grateful for and the list was quite long so here’s my big 4:

  1. I have been able to provide the basic needs for myself and my kids all on my own. We had food, clothing, water, and shelter. How many other parents dream of providing these very very critical basics but can’t?
  2. I have given myself and my kids the gift of an education and my time. I stared at the report cards, crafts, and activities calendars making a collage on my refrigerator and wondered how many parents longed for that clutter.
  3. I have sanitary water. I stared at my sink (that was probably full of dishes) and just about wanted to cry for the people all of the world who don’t even know the joy of having water at their disposal, let alone to cook and clean with.
  4. I have electricity. Staring straight up I saw my kitchen light that was being powered by my personal electricity and it just blew my mind. Not only could I access it but I could use it whenever I wanted!

I’m not sure how long I laid on that kitchen floor but I can tell you it was a while because I was kinda sore the next day but when I got up I was not the same as when I laid down.
The more you fill yourself with gratitude the more you will take that and turn it inward. It will become a part of your thoughts. Your thoughts will become your words. You words will become your actions. Your actions will change your world.


Randomness: My family and I are moved to Texas so this has been one hectic month! I managed to write this on a long flight but just got around to posting it. Thanks for sticking around!! xoxo

3 thoughts on “How to love your tummy in 5 easy steps: Step 4

  1. This just made me smile a really big, warm smile. This is exactly what body love is all about. Thank you for recognising and acknowledging all those things your beautiful, healthy body is capable of. You deserve every one of those medals and probably a few more.


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