Your Body Is Precious

There is a quote from the Buddha I love-
“Your Body is Precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with Care.”

The last time I wrote on this blog was a year ago around the same time as now. (I’ve had a sabbatical of sorts, but I’m back my beautiful lifers ☺)
A time when it seems all forms of media wheel out the tried and done before stories on New Year Resolutions, diets, bodies, body makeovers, how to lose 5 kilos in 2 weeks, and countless other articles relating to our bodies. It’s the time of year we cant help but look at ourselves and think it might be time to work on our health and weight…again!

I started thinking about the issues we all have with our bodies. It’s as if we have Two Bodies, the one we actually live in, and then the one we are constantly dreaming we have, the one we relentlessly inspire to have, the one that makes us look at the one we with aversion, by wishfully wanting the other. The one we think will bring us happiness and contentment, that once we have we will live happily ever after.
We can easily find beauty all around us in the world, but not in our own bodies.
We spend time and energy on looking after our minds. Reading and educating ourselves. Finding out about Positive Thought, Mindfulness, and Meditation.
But a serene mind is nothing without a healthy body.
And I say healthy body; I don’t say thin, buff, perfect body.
What we need to aim for is a Healthy Body.
What we really need to aim for is a Healthy Relationship with our body.
We most certainly need to damn well appreciate and love these bodies!

Your Body Is Precious!

The body you have is the Home to your Soul. It is your Home. This body knows you, it looks after you as best it can, and it works with what we give it. What are you giving yours to work with?

Have you ever thought about all the things your body does for you?
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Not only does it do all the anatomy stuff with out us even noticing, such as breathing, pumping blood, healing, detoxing, digesting, renewing cells- but it also hugs our loved ones, kisses our lover, and cradles our children. It runs to the train station, jogs around a lake, the housework done, laughs with friends, the family fed, dances all night, the kids to school, your work finished.
It unlocks your front door at the end of every busy day, it takes you wherever you want to go, it joins you in any activity you want to do.
This is a daily miracle, which we don’t even notice, and that is because our bodies perform it so gracefully. Imagine if we had to think about everything to get anything to happen. Seriously, like breathing, heart beating, walking, looking, arms swinging…now times that by a ga-jillion.

We need to appreciate all this hard work our body puts in for us and take care of it.
We need to appreciate all the things our body does and be grateful and love it.

Life is way to short to hate your body. To be constantly picking on your own body and wishing it were different. Your body is a temple, you need to get down on your knees and worship it. (and if you don’t, how will anyone else feel inclined to either).
Don’t compare your body to others; it will only make you bitter…or vain.
Don’t compare your body to others- do you want all of their lives? Their problems, their job, their terrible sense of humour?
Don’t compare yourself to others, everybody is supposed to be different, we are all unique. You’re not others.
Love YOUR body.

When you think of people whom you really admire, who inspire you, who you enjoy being with…is it their body that gives you these feelings? No, it is who they are, their confidence, happiness, strengths, intelligence, kind nature…it is many, many things, but is not…Gee, I really love that amazing person as she has a such great body.
Probably one thing you have subconsciously noticed about most of the people you admire is that they most likely carry their body with confidence.
Love your body, and be proud to walk around in it. Hold your head up, shoulders back, and STRUT! Walk with savvy confidence, which tells every one, I love this body of mine, I feel good in it, I appreciate it…you will be amazed how good this feels to do. And if you are just new at loving your body, think of the old adage when all else fails- Fake It! Yep, that’s right, Fake it, till you Make it!

Focus on your body’s good points, not it’s faults. Hey it’s got you this far, that’s something pretty awesome right there. I’m sure you have many bits you can love, give it a go, have a think about it and make a mental list. Remember that list when you want to think about how you don’t like your thighs, and revert to the “good bits” list! Banish the negative Body Talk, with your “Good Bits” list. Love your long legs, your shiny hair, the beautiful colour of your eyes, and your infectious laugh.

Pay attention to when people compliment you on what you are wearing, this means you are wearing a style that suits your body shape. Wear clothes that suit YOU. Wear comfortable clothes, nothing can make us feel worse than a “too tight waistband” or a “too short shirt”. You don’t have to be a clone. Wear clothes that you feel good in (and then you get your confident walk going…and Look Out!)
Stop hoarding clothes to fit that other body; it just makes you miserable to see them. It also makes you feel miserable to have nothing to wear, replace them, with something that fits and looks great.

…Treat It With Care.

Yes, we do need to love our body enough to treat it with a little care, like we would for others without even thinking. Treat it like you would your own child. Make sure it gets enough sleep, eats healthily, and doesn’t spend too much time in front of the TV.

Get enough SLEEP. Your body has worked hard for you all day, and everyday. Give it enough time to rest, rejuvenate, repair and rehydrate.

MAKE SMALL CHANGES with Food. 1 extra piece of fruit a day. 1 less cup of coffee. Another alcohol free day in your week. A few less takeaways a month.

GO SLOWER. It’s not a race; no one wins a trophy at the end. Slow Down. Oh, and try to slow down your eating too while your at it.

LISTEN. Your body talks to you all the time. Listen to your pain. A sore neck, how are you sitting at your desk, stretch. Headaches, dehydrated, have a glass of water. Tired, get some sleep.

WATER!!
Give your body more water!
Life cannot exist without water. Water prevents and cures illnesses and ailments.
Our bodies are 80% water.
Our cells are made up of water.
Our spine needs water, to hold our body up; there is water between every disc.
Water stimulates the circulation of blood and fluids. It aids digestion, absorption, excretion and toxin removal- it is our natural de-toxer, want to go on a Detox just drink more water!
Water invigorates and relaxes the body, so…whatever your mood, have a glass of water; it will help you either way.
Our skin is 90% water. Without it, our skin is unhealthy, flaky, tight, dry, and more prone to wrinkles. Water controls and regulates the skins natural balance.

Did you know that all other drinks require water from our body to be properly digested? They steal from us! A soft drink requires 8-12 glasses of water to replace what is uses to digest. Other drinks do not quench our thirst; in fact they really dehydrate us. So we drink another soft drink or coffee, and we become more dehydrated…we get a headache, we feel thirsty, Have A Glass of Water, better yet, have a glass of water before you feel thirsty!

DON’T EXERCISE TO LOSE WEIGHT. Exercise for enjoyment. Find something you enjoy doing. For me its yoga and beach walking, for others it is pure joy to go to the gym, run or cycle. Maybe it’s a game of tennis with friends, walking the dog, or a game of golf. Find what you love, what clears your mind, gets you breathing deeply. When I leave my Yoga I can always feel my body saying “Thank you”. When I take a long power walk on the beach early in the morning, I get to think about everything I need to for my day, before the kids are up, and I’m busy making breakfasts and getting them off to school. And when I roller-skate with my 9-year-old daughter, well, that’s just fun! As a lovely 80 year old said to me when I expressed my admiration for her daily long walk, “You gotta Move it, or You’ll Lose it!” That’s all it takes, just getting some movement.

AWARENESS and RESPONSIBILITY.
A friend read over this blog for me last night before I posted, and she asked the question “Why did I think we had become so “disconnected” from our true bodies?” Yes, Why?
Maybe the reason we are not happy with the body we have is; it is easier to distance ourselves from the knowledge that we are not making healthy choices as often as we should. It is easier to hate your stomach roll, then to accept you may eat too much junk food, or drink to much alcohol, or do absolutely no exercise.
We need to understand the impact of our daily habits. And whether you choose healthy habits or unhealthy habits.
We need to take Responsibility. Only you are responsible for what shape your body is in. Next time you grab that muffin top with disgust, think about your habits, and what you are giving your precious body to work with?

Are you being Mindful…or mindless when it comes to how you treat your body?

ALWAYS ACCEPT and LOVE.
Revel in your positives, instead of wasting time squeezing cellulite. Don’t let the shape of your body hold back your happiness; life is about so much more than your hips. If you are making healthy choices more often than not, your body will be at the size it is supposed to be, whatever the number on the jeans is. Love that. Live in the now, be grateful for what your body is capable of doing for you and treat yourself with some kindness. Be astounded every night and every morning with what this wonderful body has given.


Your Beauty and Worth cannot be measured on a set of scales or with a tape measure.



Love your beautiful bodies, they are truly amazing!

suzy x

The Joy of being 40

I have often joked that if I knew how it felt to be 40 years old, I would have done it 15 years ago!

I love being on the “grown up” journey, when you start to truly understand yourself and recognize the things you “need”.

I look at the friends and family in my life, and I know that over the last few years the people around me have become a supportive and loving assemblage. Gone are the days of younger years- comparing, “bitching” and judging. I like to think my “friendship tree” has been pruned down to the essentials. Sometimes you just got to cut some branches off. Age has bought the realisation that I am better off to share my time with people who offer positive aspects to my life.

I am able to feel responsible for my own state of being; I don’t rely on others to produce happiness for me. I get through painful and hurtful times, by remembering it is only my take on someone’s actions that brings pain and hurt into my life.

I feel old enough to be able to be comfortable with who I am.

I don’t need to carry life’s burdens. I look for ways to understand them, accept them, and grow from them. I can always find a positive outlook on these situations…there is always something good that comes from these times.

I no longer expect to be with my soul mate, in fact I believe in soul mates about as much as I do a happy Hollywood ending. I am married to a man though, that I recognize love in most all of his actions. And I do know that when I am 80 years old sitting back and sipping a cider (though I don’t drink cider now it feels it might be an appropriate tipple at 80!)…It’s his hand I want to be holding.

My work ethic has changed. All about me has a different meaning to the “all about me” of my youth. All about me means that I do the best I can do, in the best way I can. I do not let myself be held to other people’s expectations, as I securely know I have done the best I can.

I am also in the process of altering my career, to something I feel more attuned to. My new path is about what I want to be doing, and what I know will give me immense fulfilment, it fills a long held desire of what I feel is my “true calling”. It is a change that will not only benefit myself, but my family. I am so very excited by this change, and it brings me so much joy to be planning it out. I have pondered over this for many years, not being able to quite put my finger on exactly “what” it was that I wanted to do. Not have I only been able to realise it, but I may be able to even blend it into my current work life, merging the two together, until a new path becomes the way.

I have a stronger understanding of my own opinions now, and yet, I also have a greater acceptance of others opinions. I do not need for everyone to agree with me. I enjoy hearing other’s beliefs and thoughts, learning from them, taking the bits that make a fit with mine, even changing how I originally felt about something, always growing stronger in the heart of my belief system.

I trust my own judgement more than I ever did, yet am able to accept that I can make errors, and I am able to forgive myself for these.

I am more patient. I am able to sit and wait things out, or just accept what I cannot change.

I don’t need other’s approval. My relationship with myself gets stronger and healthier with every birthday. All I need is my approval, based on my knowledge of that what I am doing is right for myself and for those around me.

I have learnt to be grateful. I have learnt how to have gratitude in my life. I am grateful for things that never would have crossed my mind at 25!

And best of all I get to enjoy more grown up things like a fabulous new blend of green tea, my women’s group, making healthy choices over partying lifestyle and being a kinder person.

I love this beautiful aging process, and it is amazing to realise I am only half way through it! I am looking forward to each decade. For the knowledge it brings, the contentment…the shift in consciousness.

So much to look forward to in this beautiful life.

suzy x

Yoga. Just Do It

As some of you know Beautiful Life has started holding Mother & Daughter Yoga classes here in Mermaid Beach.

This came about from a conversation Regina and I had about how much we enjoyed and what we “got” from Yoga, and how wonderful it would be to share it with our daughters. We were so excited by the idea that right there we decided to start up our own classes. We went out and found wonderful teachers, a great space and off we went.

I love the hour I get to spend with my daughter sharing the joys of Yoga. I feel I am giving her a base for a great positive self image, subtle lessons in breath and posture and some wonderful tools for dealing with life; she is learning techniques for self health, relaxation and inner fulfillment. It enhances her flexibility, strength, coordination and body awareness. It improves her concentration, sense of calmness and allows her to connect with her inner self. She is able to be a part of a physical activity that is non competitive, fostering cooperation and compassion instead off opposition.
Yoga brings out the beautiful inner light that all children have and it is a gift to give her.

Not to mention that we get to spend time with like-minded people and great role models. When you spend time with a community of people that hold the same values and hopes, it dissolves the feeling of separateness we get in the over stimulated, exhaustive world we all live in, us and our children. A group like this practicing together creates an amazing field of energy! It’s also just fun and relaxed. One of our mums said to me, “My daughter may stop doing Yoga at times in her life but she will always come back to it...and she will always be able to say, I have practiced Yoga since I was very young, I used to do it with my mother.”

With this in mind I am hoping to start up new classes of Family Yoga as soon as our Mother & Daughter classes are running smoothly, we have only just had our first month of classes. Family Yoga for all variations of family members, parents, children, grandparents, aunts or cousins!

Anyway, if you are not doing Yoga, thinking about Yoga, want to know more about Yoga, need to get back to Yoga, or love Yoga so much you can’t hear enough about it:
Here is my List of REASONS TO DO YOGA:

1. POSITIVE ATTITUDE Having Yoga in your life helps you face life’s daily challenges with positive energy in your heart. We can become more effective at problem solving as we act less emotionally and reactively to problems. When we practice Yoga we become clear in what we want and manifest our deepest desires. When we treat ourselves with more respect we treat others with more respect also. Trust, acceptance and gratitude are bi-products of self respect and we live with fewer expectations and judgments. Yoga makes us shine from the inside out: you will walk taller, with grace and a positive outlook. You will become more popular; people love to be around you when you are calm, balanced, serene and uplifted from your Yoga buzz!


2. HEALTH Yoga relaxes you and holistically addresses the body’s physical and subconscious needs. It can improve the immune system. Yoga is a powerful cleanser of our mind, body and spirit. It helps manage physical, mental and emotional signs of stress. Many Yoga poses detoxify the body. It cleans and massages your organs; releases feel good and immune boosting hormones, strengthens bones and muscles. As we heal ourselves, we can heal others, with our words, actions and smile!

3. JOYFUL LIVING Happiness does not depend on what we have- but who we are....When we do Yoga we realize we don’t need a reason to be happy, we just are. Yoga increases Mindfulness, as you become more in tune with your self inside and out. Life becomes relaxed and more fun!

Yoga is too fabulous, really it is TOO fabulous. And I am not talking about the transformed, over marketed, go hard, trendy version of a work out class. I am talking about the authentic Yoga, the real deal, where you don’t have to make your body suffer to feel the benefits. Where you are aware of what your body can do...and can’t...and that is enough.

All this talk of Yoga makes me want to practice more often, get myself a nice little set of poses I can do at home before bed, do with the kids instead of watching TV, enjoy and have fun with, and bring it into my beautiful life more and more!

suzy x

Love Me Do

Regina’s piece last week on Self Worth really hit a chord with a lot of people. I had conversations with people before the blog went up, who have situations where their self worth is really taking a battering.

This all got me thinking, reading, researching.

Self Esteem
Self Worth
Self Regard
Self Respect
Self Integrity

SELF LOVE

Self Love does not mean we are one of those who comes across as self obsessed or self centered. Self love is a courageous mental shift, of inner understanding. When we have true love for ourselves, we can spread it around; we cannot possibly offer genuine love to others, if we don’t see ourselves as a source of love. This is not only in our relationships, but in our deeds and actions to anyone in our community.

Write it Down:
We all have them, those broken records, those little nagging criticisms. We’ve been listening to these messages for so long now, we often don’t even hear them. But they do have their impact on our self worth. Write it down, separate it from your mind, see it on a piece of paper, and say to yourself, there I don’t need to carry that around anymore, I can leave it on that piece of paper. Remind yourself when you hear that whisper (or loud scream) to change the mental CD, or skip to a positive one, we don’t have to put up with “broken records” anymore!

Counteract the Above:
For every negative thought, find a response that counteracts it. Make it as loving, kind and positive as possible.

Ask Yourself:
Is this just that, an old thought pattern? Is it of any use to me anymore? Do the facts of my life still support this thought? Why am I letting this recur? Remind yourself you no longer need this.

What is your Mood:
How are you feeling when you have these thoughts. If you were feeling happier, well, energetic would you see the situation the same way?

The Source:
Where did I get this thought? Most things go way back, to very early relationships, traumas, coping mechanisms. So is it effective or useful anymore?
If you do know the source, reassure that little kid, teen or young adult, that smaller You. Tell them they did nothing wrong, and you are here to protect and love them now.

Make Lists:
Make a list of what you like about yourself. Modesty does not help here, nor do old criticisms. Praise for yourself is healing, and it nourishes your self worth. If you find this difficult to do, think about what you love and admire in others. Do you have those same traits, usually you do.

Make a list of compliments from others. When someone pays you a compliment or comments in a positive way about you, make a note. (Physically, like get yourself a notebook for all these notes!) This is not a replacement for your own self love, but a step towards learning to have self love. Sometimes we may need to hear it from others (and be able to read it again!) so that we can value it in ourselves. (Really get a notebook, so you can re-read all the lovely things you and others think of you, great for those days that are bummers!)

Make a list (in that new gorgeous little notebook of yours) of something you achieve, or are proud of. You can update it every day or every week, make note of these things.

Read Your New Notebook Whenever You Need a Pick up!

Give Yourself an Affirmation of Loving-kindness.
Find one that works for you. You can Google it!
I AM KIND, COMPASSIONATE, INTELLIGENT AND WISE (or use whatever words you like). Repeat this as often as you can, stick them up everywhere, or if you don’t feel comfortable with that put little notes where you will find them; in the pocket of a pair of jeans, your wallet, and the biscuit tin! Repeating is the key, a lesson we should all know by that old broken record.
A really tough one can be to look at yourself in the mirror, look deeply into your eyes, and tell You...I Love You. See the compassion, the kindness and tell yourself again.
A thing I do when I am getting a treatment on my back, is when I am lying on the table I go deep in and tell myself “I love you, I want you to feel good, I will take care of you.”

Another thing that comes to mind is a little joke my husband and I have. If one of us speaks a bit harsher than we should, the other says, “Would you speak to your best friend like that?” (In a funny jokey voice- but it works, puts it into perspective!) Maybe we need to ask ourselves that, would we tell a friend the things we tell ourselves. Talk to others like we do ourselves?


Life holds no grudges against us, it always forgives us. Does our vision of love exclude ourselves? We accept our loved ones for “who they are”; can we allow ourselves the same? When having a negative thought ask "Is this kind?" Paying attention to our (supposed) faults and flaws, being tough on ourselves does not bring change, does not make us happier. Negative, hurtful thoughts and self criticism hold back the free flow of harmony in our lives.
Encourage strengths and positives.

Think of a loved one: partner, friend or family. Close your eyes, think of everything you love about this person, how they make you feel, what you admire in them. Now imagine yourself to be that person, and how that person sees you, what they love about you, how you make them feel, what they admire in you. Imagine them feeling all the compassion and love they have for you, and the happiness you bring them. Feel their compassion and love and own it.

suzy x