Do you spend a lot of time worrying about your body? Do you spend a lot of time (and mental energy) noticing it, watching it, monitoring it – afraid something’s going to go wrong with it, afraid something’s going to happen to it, worried that it isn’t operating at optimal efficiency or that it doesn’t look and feel like you think it should?
Well if you do, you’re no different than the rest of us. And especially in these challenging times where the media and news are filled with scary stories about people who are not doing so well. And where masks and social distancing are now a part of our everyday lives.
So it’s no wonder most of us run around thinking God forbid something should go “wrong”, God forbid I should get sick, God forbid if something happens… That’s the mantra inside so many people’s heads at the moment. And when you start to notice this, you begin to realize just how much mental energy you may be using on your body…
Now don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying we shouldn’t take all necessary precautions and I’m not saying we should not be eating well and staying fit and just generally taking good care of our bodies because we love and appreciate them – what I am talking about is the obsessive worry factor…
So let’s try to put this all into perspective, let’s take a look at the reality of having a body. The reality is that for most of us sometimes the body does not feel so great or even hurts. Sometimes we do have aches and pains. It goes with the turf of having a body. But usually, in most cases, it’s not half as bad as we think it is. But unfortunately, when we think it’s “bad” or when we think there must be something seriously “wrong” with us – we become afraid and tense up. And when we are afraid and tense up, we make it more difficult for our bodies to do their natural work, which is to recreate equilibrium and heal themselves. And this is very important to understand – the cells of our bodies are intelligent. That is to say, every cell in our body is created by and connected to the Great Universal Intelligence that created all of Life including us, so therefore every cell in our bodies is designed to take care of itself and constantly recreate balance and harmony in our bodies – especially if we don’t get in the way with our negative thinking and our negative self-talk.
Because this is what bodies are designed to do – they are designed to recreate balance and heal themselves. Improvement is natural for our bodies. That’s simply the way bodies are built. They are intelligent! So we could make it a lot easier for our bodies to do their wonderful job if we could just get ourselves out of the way. And by getting ourselves out of the way I mean by not indulging in so many “catastrophic” thoughts about every ache and pain we experience. I mean by not using the power of our minds to interfere with the body’s healing intelligence.
It’s also important to understand that when we worry and think catastrophic thoughts, we trigger the “fight or flight” mechanism in our bodies. And when the “fight or flight” mechanism is triggered, the body then secretes adrenaline and other hormones which are counterproductive to the deep relaxation and trust (love = endorphins) which allow our immune systems to function at optimal efficiency. In fact, studies have proven that positive thinking and happy, optimistic thoughts not only raise our energy, they also strengthen our immune systems and promote healing and health.
So what can we do? When we understand this mechanism – and understand how our thinking influences our bodies – we can actively support our bodies’ natural ability to heal in every circumstance instead of hindering our body’s healing ability - by saying things to ourselves like:
- My body is an amazing self-healing organism – it knows exactly what to do.
- My body is always recreating equilibrium – that’s its job and natural inclination.
- Sometimes I feel good and sometimes I feel less good. It’s always changing but when I stop and notice what’s going on, I find I’m still here.
- This too will pass.
- I am going to focus on all the things I love about Life and leave my body to do its wonderful healing work.
- I’m sure I’ll get better. I always do.
- Healing is natural.
This is healthy self talk when it comes to our bodies.
In this connection, it’s also a wonderful practice to appreciate your body and remind yourself of all the wonderful things your body does for you instead of focusing on every little ache and pain you have.
You can say to yourself or out loud: I’m so grateful because:
- I can walk.
- I can talk.
- I can see.
- I can hear.
- I can breathe.
- I can move and take care of myself
- I can ride my bike.
- I can use my computer.
- I can go to work (even here at home).
- I can run, dance, sing, hop and play.
- I can exercise.
- I can meditate.
- I can read (I have so many wonderful books).
- I can walk in my yard or garden or through the woods.
- I can watch movies and listen to music.
- I can eat and drink.
- I can make love.
- I can be creative.
- I can relax.
- I can sleep.
Once you get started, the list is amazingly long and the body always feels better when you actually take the time to notice how wonderful it is and what an amazing gift you’ve been given.
By focusing on all the good your body is constantly doing for you, you are using the power of your mind wisely because whatever you focus your attention on grows in your experience. Thus the more you focus on the strength and health you do have, the more you will experience strength and health. This is not just wishful thinking. Countless studies demonstrate that what we hold in mind tends to manifest in our bodies. For more about this mechanism and how the focus of your attention affects your health, see my books, “The Awakening Human Being – A Guide to the Power of Mind” and “The Road to Power – Fast Food for the Soul”.
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