6 Gifts To Give To Your Body
With so much coming at us from all angles every day, it may slip our minds that the most effective of healers are with us at all times: our very own bodies.
I was recently talking to my friend about just that, and she said something that really stuck with me. The sole purpose of the body is to keep itself alive. If we each give our body even the slightest bit of what it needs, it will gladly accept that positive gift – in fact, it will take that gift and run with it.
Our bodies do incredible things for us every single moment – things so miraculous and intricate that they’re difficult to even comprehend – and if we give our bodies a little bit more of what they need (and less of what they don’t), we will be rewarding ourselves in more ways than we can imagine.
I’m not writing this to introduce a crazy new cure-all idea that will surprise and amaze you; I’m writing this to serve as a little reminder. For you, for me, and for everyone around us. Let’s be kind to our bodies. Let’s give them what they need. After all, without them, our essence would have no physical form.
Sleep is one of the easiest gifts to give to our bodies – even if we fight it, it’ll eventually happen on its own. But for some reason, we fight and fight and fight, trying to convince ourselves that whatever else is going on in our crazy lives is more important than sleep. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sleep is the body’s prime time to heal itself and get back on track for whatever it will endure the following day. And if you’re well-rested, you’ll find that it’s much easier to be productive – you’ll feel much more rewarded come the end of the day. Try your hardest to make ample time for sleep. Cut out an hour that may have been spent on social media and shut your beautiful eyes. When you wake up feeling well-rested and ready for what’s to come – quite possibly for the first time in years – you may find that sleep will make its way back to the top of your priority list.
A good stretch is something our bodies crave – fulfill the urge! Stretching feels incredibly good, and has tons of benefits for you to enjoy. A little bit of stretching every morning can help reduce stress, increase circulation, make you more flexible, and prevent injury, just to name a few. A daily yoga session (or two) is ideal, but if that isn’t for you, just do what you can. I love this 3 minute morning yoga session from Kristen Hedges.
Stretching brings me to my next point: physical activity – our bodies are wired for it! These days we’re so surrounded by stimuli – our minds seem to buzz nonstop and it becomes so easy to feel worn out, even after doing no physical activity whatsoever. Make it a priority to be physical in some way every day – even if that just means a brisk 20-minute walk. Just do it. It’s easy to make excuses – I do it, too – but, when you really think about it… what’s the point? I’ve been in shape, and I’ve been out of shape. Guess which one feels a trillion times better. Guess which one offers more benefits than you’d even imagine. You got it, babe.
Nutrients – the good kind. Hunger is an urge we all make a point to fulfill – whether we do so in the best ways, though, is a different story. Make a resolution to take in more of the good and less of the bad. Eat whole foods that come straight from the earth. The more processed it is, the more you may want to stay away. Expand your diet by trying new things; make healthy substitutions; experiment with your own creations. By giving your body the purest form of fuel, you’re giving it less dirty work to do, meaning it can spend all of that fresh energy on keeping you at your maximum health and taking you to the next level in every future endeavor.
Water makes up over two thirds of a person’s body weight. It’s essential for our survival, yet so many of us are moving through our lives in a constant state of dehydration. Let’s change that. Sip clean, sip often. It’s simple, it’s refreshing, and its benefits are plentiful. Having access to clean drinking water is a blessing in itself – let us never take that for granted.
Natural beauty products are my favorite favorite favorite. What goes onto our skin undoubtedly goes into our bodies, so let’s make it our mission to use the best of the best. Know the ingredients, understand the ingredients; be proud of the products you use to enhance your already radiant beauty. And if you can…whenever you can… make your own. Here’s some inspiration to do just that!
What gifts do you give to your body? Please share!
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