The Body

I love my body and think of it often. It wasn't always like this for me though, but with age comes wisdom. Thankfully, during the pandemic I slowed down and got a chance to really focus on myself. When I focused on myself, I noticed that my body had started to deteriorate over the years. This was from living life and crossing into my thirties, no extraordinary circumstances plagued me. In November of 2020, I started to work on my body to relieve some nagging back pain and what started as minor stretching at night has grown into a way of life for me.

Frankly, it took me too long to realize how important it is to take care of your body. I want to share with you some observations I've made along the way. These observations now act as code for me, they have been essential to my growth. Most of these observations came through my yoga practice and walking, two simple, yet effective things that can help you maintain a healthy body.

Let us begin. 

 A few observations about the body:

The body needs maintenance. The wear and tear of being a human will catch up with you eventually. Gone are the days of working out without stretching before and after, that's for the youth. As you age, you have to take actions to ensure flexibility, strength and good health. The maintenance doesn't have to be extreme; it can be as simple as actively walking and stretching.

The body appreciates consistency. It's noted above that body maintenance can be simple, however, the results will be minimal if it is done without consistency. Consistency will lead to endurance.

The body is resilient. If you spent several years neglecting and abusing your body, with proper care you can restore it back to health. You may not feel like a teenager again, but you can improve your quality of life. The act of restoration is not quick. It is long and arduous; the change comes overtime, and patience is needed. However, if you take that time, watching your body change is a gift.

The body is not your enemy. I find that a lot of talk about the body on the internet boils down to 'control your body', as if your body is actively working against you. I find this notion misleading because we should strive to work with our bodies. The aches, the pains, the indigestion is our body's language. If you feel those things, then you hear your body. If you begin to listen to what your body says you can start to make yourself feel better. This is not easy and takes research since our does not speak our maternal language. Once you find the translations, you can learn how your body works and interacts with the world around it.

Once you start to listen to your body, you can begin to take care of it. To take care of something is an act of love. It's a simple act, but if you start to take care of your body, you will begin to love it regardless of the shape it's in. You'll learn that your body is precious, yearning for your attention and love. We only have one body so it should be cherished because it will eventually fail. We are humans and not gods. 

Your body is yours. Others will comment on it, even though it's not needed or warranted, but you must remember your body is yours. Be the one who makes the decisions on what you do to your body.

I am not an authority on the body, I'm just a citizen who stumbled into self-love by way of exercise. I wanted to share these observations because they have added so much joy and meaning to my life. Don't believe me blindly though, this post is an invitation for you to act and rethink your relationship with your body. Remember, it can be simple, just be open to the journey. You never know what you may learn.