The Ultimate BFF: Your Body

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Many of us have a strange relationship with our bodies – like it’s more of an afterthought, a thing we pay attention to when it’s in distress, but otherwise ignore. Instead, the mind – the dominant force in our day-to-day experience – darts from thought to thought making plans, getting frustrated when those plans don’t quite go as planned, analyzing and reanalyzing in a desperate attempt to make sense of our experience in a crazy Cirque du Soleil display of mental gymnastics. All the while humming in the background of our experience is the body.

All in all, the body’s job is pretty thankless:

WANTED: Great opportunity for someone willing to work 24/7 without breaks or vacations!

Duties include, but not limited to:

  • Flawless expertise in running the following systems: Cardiovascular, Digestive, Endocrine, Integumentary, Immune, Lymphatic, Muscular, Skeletal, Urinary, Respiratory, Nervous, and Reproductive;

  • Warehousing of all memories, as well as physical and emotional traumas;

  • Ideal candidate must be willing to be on-call to make repairs instantly. No exceptions.

We’re not willing to pay, but we’ll give you food, clothing and shelter (if available). [/box]

What? A chance to be a slave? Sign me up! And yet . . . this (and then some) is what our bodies do for us.

Being in the business of wellness, I’ve noticed that a great many of us are disconnected from our bodies – that we take them for granted much, if not all, of the time. If a health issue arises we might feel annoyed, betrayed, afraid – or choose to ignore the issue altogether.

What if your mind were to start a “we’re in this together” friendship with your body? To see your body as an ally who has your back. Literally. This is an invitation to experiment with a shift in perspective. One that enables you to see your body in a different, more inclusive light and to reframe your symptoms as information that your loyal pal – the only one who’s been in it with you since the very beginning and will stick it out with you until the very end – is trying to share with you.

If you consider the traits of a valued friend: (e.g., someone who’s loyal, honest, trustworthy, listens, shows up, is kind, respectful, supportive, and forgiving) and then take an honest look at all your body does for you, you’d have to admit that it’s probably one of the best friends you’ve ever had. So why not take a little time each day to cultivate a friendship with your oldest, most loyal BFF? All you have to do is point your attention inward, express some appreciation (perhaps in the form of an “employee of the month” plaque?), and begin to tap into the great wealth of wisdom your body has to offer. The sheer amount of wisdom at your disposal is astounding really. And mighty humbling.