Day 29 –
Welcome to Week 5! How are you getting on? Are you ready to move on yet?
By the way, if ever you feel you need to pause for breath, that’s ok. There’s no rush with all of this. If you want to hang around and spend a bit more time on a particular week, that’s fine. Just keep going. You’ll still receive your daily emails – simply put them somewhere safe and you can move on when you’re ready.
So today we’re moving on to the body! We’re going to dive in and discover the transformation that gratitude can create for you in the way you think about your body, how it feels and even how it looks.
Today I’d like to start by inviting you to spot the stories you are currently telling yourself about your body. When you think about your body, what’s the first thing that comes to mind…? And the next thing…? And the next thing…?
This isn’t about judging or evaluating what’s coming up for you. It’s about raising your awareness of your body-story habits.
Why?
Because once we know where we are – which stories we’re telling ourselves about our bodies – we can decide where we want to go – which stories we would rather be hearing.
Most of us are stuck in the habit of telling ourselves that our bodies – or at least bits of them – are bad. We’re good at reminding ourselves about everything that our bodies can’t do; everything that’s wrong; everything that aches; every bit that’s wobbly, when perhaps we’d prefer it to be firmer. But it’s just a habit.
We could dive off on a tangent and over-analyse how we all got to this point – thinking our bodies are bad / ugly / too wobbly / not good enough. We could look for outside sources to blame, such as ‘the media’ or our parents or ‘society’. But that won’t change anything.
The only way we can change the way we feel about our bodies is by changing the way we think about them.
Thoughts trigger the biochemical reactions in the body that trigger our emotions and behaviours. So if you want to change your outside (or even get ok with your ‘outside’!), then you need to change your ‘inside’ – your thoughts and beliefs about your body.
After all, your body has got you this far, so it can’t be that bad, can it?
If you want to shift how you’re feeling about your body – and experience the transformation that can create in other areas of your life, then it’s time for our old friend, gratitude!
Instead of telling yourself stories about what your body can’t do, it’s time retrain your Monkey Mind to tell yourself stories about what it can do. And that’s the whole point of this week’s gratitude exercises and the week five Gratitude Project.
My invitation to you today is…
Simply become aware of the stories you are telling yourself about your body. That’s it. Don’t try to change them. Don’t tell yourself they’re wrong. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Treat it as a chance to practise awareness and acceptance. What are your body-stories?
And then I encourage you to do this week’s Gratitude Project. It’s a guided visualisation and deep relaxation, taking you step by step through connecting with your body with a sense of gratitude, rather than a sense of judgement. It takes about 12 minutes (it’s a MP3 you can listen to online or – much better – download and listen to while you’re lying down and relaxing). And it has the added bonus that you’ll feel more relaxed and energised afterwards!
Wishing you a bouncingly beautiful day.
Obrigada!
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[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Day 30 –
How did you get on yesterday with spotting your body-stories?
Any that you liked? Any that you’d like to shift?
Today we’re moving on to a technique that can really help to make a difference.
But, before we start, I want to reassure you that wherever your current body-stories are at, that’s ok. This isn’t about ‘getting rid’ of them, or changing them. It’s about choosing new stories – some that are more empowering, more uplifting, more motivating, based on gratitude and love, rather than fear and rejection.
Are you up for it?
Then here’s a technique I invite you to play with today:
- During the day today, pause at a random point to notice what you body is doing for you in that moment.
- Become aware of the part of your body that is the ‘leader’ in that moment and say ‘thank you’ to it.
- It doesn’t matter whether it was brushing your teeth or taking you up the stairs at work, or reading this message 🙂 say ‘thank you’ to it.
Repeat this at random points during your day and you’ll soon be retraining your Monkey Mind to focus on feeling grateful for your body.
Let me know how you get on with this. I’d love to hear from you. Week Five – Any Insights Or Questions?
Obrigada!
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[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Day 31 –
How are you getting on with the beginning of our body gratitude week? Any questions? Any insights? Can I tempt you to share them? I’d love to hear from you: Week Five – Any Insights Or Questions?
Today I’d like to share with you one of my favourite mindfulness techniques, which can easily be transformed into a super-portable do-it-while-you’re-busy gratitude exercise: mindful walking.
Walking mindfully is a massive topic, and can be done in many ways, so today I’m going to share with you the core of the technique, for you to experiment with, adding a new flavour to your gratitude practices.
START: This walking can be done anywhere – outside in nature or even walking up the stairs or around your kitchen. Choose somewhere that you can be on your own, for the first few times.
- Take a ‘snapshot’ of how you are feeling – physically, emotionally, mind-wise. We’ll come back to this at the end.
- Start walking. Slow your speed down by about 10%. This makes it easier to concentrate.
- Focus all of your awareness on your feet. Become fully aware of the physical sensations of your feet on the floor, as they connect with the Earth.
[Doing this barefoot on grass or sand is a special treat – though not essential!] - If your attention wanders, gently guide it back to feeling the physical, tactile connection of your feet with the earth.
- When you’re in the rhythm of it, choose to spend 30 seconds or a minute, becoming aware of the physical sensations in your body. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
- Notice your balance – just feel those amazing muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints and nerves doing such an incredible job of keeping you safe and upright. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
- Notice your arms moving – you don’t have to change anything; just become fully aware of the physcial movement. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
- Notice your posture. Feel the physical sensations, if you tweak the way you are holding your body. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
- Really feel the soles of your feet with each step, as they take your weight as you walk. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
- Then, when you’re ready, return to simply being aware of each step, connecting with the Earth. Say a silent ‘thank you’ to your body.
END: when you feel ready, release your practice and take that snapshot again. How are you feeling – physically, emotionally, mind-wise? Compare that to the snapshot from the beginning. With practise, you’ll notice that the mindful walking makes a tangible difference.
What did you notice? How did this experience impact you? Any insights? Any questions? Please feel free to share: Mindful Walking With Gratitude.
Obrigada!
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[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Day 32 –
How was the gratitude-based mindful walking yesterday? Did you enjoy it? Any insights? Remember that these techniques are powerful, but they take practice. So you might have found it tough to remember it all yesterday, but if it resonated for you, how about doing 10 mindful steps each day for the next week or so and watching how things shift? Here’s where you can share your experiences of it: Mindful Walking With Gratitude.
Today I’m not sharing a new technique with you. I’m asking you a question.
How different would each moment of your day feel, if you treated your body as though you were grateful for it?
How would you sit?
How would you stand?
How would you move?
What kinds of thoughts would you be thinking?
What would you eat and drink?
How would you breathe?
Just curious!
Allow yourself to pause for a few moments and really consider your answer to that question – how different would each moment of your day feel, if you treated your body as though you were grateful for it?
Let the answers bubble up. Really dive into the experience. Allow it to wash through you for the next minute or two.
And, guess what? Now you have imagined it, you can be it. It’s as simple as choosing to flick a switch. You just imagined – and created – your very own action plan for shifting how you experience your body. Cool, eh?
Could I tempt you to share your insights on this exercise with me: Shifting your experience of your body.
Obrigada!
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[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Day 33 –
How did you get on with yesterday’s exercise?
And have you had a chance to do this week’s relaxation Gratitude Project yet?
Got any insights? Any questions? How about popping by the week 5 forum thread and sharing?
Today I’d like to share with you another way of shifting your body-stories from criticism to gratitude. It’s a way of appreciating the wonder of your body, no matter where it might ache or feel stiff or have lumps and bumps.
Gratitude Mindful Movement
Pick a time today when you’re moving – it doesn’t matter what kind of movement. It could be walking, brushing your teeth, washing up, opening your car door – anything – you choose.
While you’re doing the movement, slow down and allow yourself to notice the physical components of that movement in your body.
Allow yourself to become fully aware of each joint, each tendon and ligament, each muscle, each fibre, each tiny movement that builds to create the full movement.
Become aware of the complexity your body is managing in that simple movement. And the harmony with which each part plays its piece.
And then say ‘thank you’, allowing a gentle wave of gratitude to wash through the movement, as you appreciate your body’s complexity and harmony, its balance and its service to you.
What did you notice?
Isn’t your body amazing?
How’s that for a new body-story?
Enjoy!
Obrigada!
[CLARE SIG]
[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Day 34 –
How have you been finding this week’s techniques? And the week five Gratitude Project? Any insights? Any questions? Here’s where to share: How are you getting on in week 5.
I’m curious: when you have been doing these exercises, what has come up for you regarding aches and pains?
Most of us have them, either from time-to-time or most of the time. So how do you handle gratitude for the bits you don’t feel grateful for?
Today I’d like to share with you a simple process that can help.
Working with gratitude to help reduce aches and pains
Before I start, obviously this process is meant to help, but that doesn’t mean it should replace professional medical advice. If something hurts, and the hurt doesn’t go away when you change position or release the tension in the area, then your body is trying to tell you something. Please don’t ignore it!
- Become aware of the area that aches or hurts – just the physical sensations, not the Monkey Mind’s body-stories about them. Allow your focus to settle.
- Imagine the region wrapped in a gentle, soft golden light. Allow that light to fill the area, softening and releasing tension and allowing your body to relax.
- Open your heart and connect with that area of your body, with love. Send it a thank you for the things it can do, rather than rejecting it for the things it can’t.
- If your Monkey Mind tries to tell body-stories of everything that’s wrong, that’s ok. Just say ‘thank you’ again. Allow yourself to embrace that area of your body and to accept how things are, just in this moment, softening and releasing.
- Breathe in and out of that area. Breathe in ‘thank you’. Breathe out and release tension and pain. Continue with this for a few moments, until you feel a sense of relief or release.
What did you notice?
How did the physical sensations change?
How did your thoughts change?
Any questions?
Any insights?
Here’s where to share: Working with gratitude for aches and pains.
Obrigada!
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Day 35 –
Welcome to the final day of week 5. Today I want to share with you the secret to life-long body-gratitude:
Give gratitude to your body, treating it like the temple of your soul, and it will reward you every day, for the rest of your life.
If you treated your body like the temple of your soul, what might you do differently?
What might you eat differently?
How might you move differently?
How might you rest differently?
Allow yourself a few moments to ponder those questions.
It’s a really useful way of catching yourself on auto-pilot, if you’re about to do something that wouldn’t be good for you. Simply ask yourself:
If I believed that my body is the temple of my soul, would I eat this? Would I do that?
Can you imagine how that might influence your choices?
Notice how much easier it is to feel grateful to your body, if you treat it as the temple of your soul?
Here’s where you can share your insights on this one – and find out what others are thinking: If your body were the temple of your soul…
And to finish our fifth week, I’d like to go back to the short exercise we did on the first day of this week, so you can feel how things have shifted:
Pause for a moment and become aware of the stories you are telling yourself about your body.
Don’t try to change them.
Don’t tell yourself they’re wrong.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. Treat it as a chance to practise awareness and acceptance. What are your body-stories?
I’m curious: how have they changed this week?
Here’s where to share your insights and questions: Week 5.
I hope you have enjoyed this week’s techniques. I’d love to hear how you got on, via the forum. Next week (tomorrow!) we’re moving on to the realm of the Monkey Mind. And we’ve got some fun in store!
Obrigada!
[CLARE SIG]
[WEEK 5 PROJECT]
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Transcript?