Let’s start treating our bodies and ourselves as magnificent rather than as deficient.

Deficiency syndrome

As women, we very often treat our bodies as deficient―by abusing, denying, starving, polluting, poisoning, neglecting, exhausting ... (and the list goes on) our bodies and ourselves. We do this with our thoughts, words and behaviours including:
 

• Under/overeating or poor nutritional choices
• Extremes of exercise―excessive or very little
• Sleeping―not enough or overindulging
• Social substances―smoking, alcohol, drugs....
• Medication―under/overmedicating, reliance on prescription drugs
• Sex―under/over/avoidance of physical or sexual relationships
• Intimacy―denying intimacy or excessive clinginess
• Ignoring the cues of our menstrual cycle
• Unhealthy or undesirable relationships
• Self harming, suicidal thoughts and attempts
• Ignoring signs and symptoms and relying on others’ opinions over our own body’s wisdom
• Exhausting ourselves by being overly busy, caring too much for others
• Verbal condemnation and down-putting of ourselves
• Recurring negative thoughts and focussing on the half empty glass

Body wisdom

Our body knows us intimately. It remembers all of what has occurred to us from the moment of conception to the present―all of our experiences, thoughts, behaviours, relationships, words spoken by us or over us ... all of this is registered and stored in our bodies.

Many women respond to trauma and difficult situations by adopting some of these deficiency syndrome behaviours. Hanging onto heavy burdens, unpleasant situations, negative thoughts and words; clinging onto certain emotions and acting out these ‘deficiency’ behaviours weigh us down and create ill-health and further unhappiness. Conversely, ill-health and unhappiness can hook us again into mistreating our bodies and that cycle is set up.

Magnificence solutions

• Take time daily to be still. Reflect and act upon what your body and heart is telling you.
• Let go of the ‘heaviness’ that is weighing you down.
• When you notice yourself acting out deficiency behaviours, stop and make a different choice in that very moment.
• Take a lesson from the three monkeys―speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil.

1. Think magnificence―entertain only positive thoughts about yourself and your body, focus on health and happiness, think love.
2. Speak magnificence―speak kindly about yourself and others, accept compliments, watch your tone, speak hope and positivity, speak gratitude daily for what your body does for you and for the magnificence of who you are.
3. Do magnificence―this is not a ‘to do list’―instead focus on nourishing, nurturing, resting, pampering, indulging, treating, respecting and having fun with your body and with yourself.

Copyright © Janelle Fletcher 2008
Vital Peace coach, healer, columnist, speaker and workshop facilitator.

janellefletcher@vitalpeace.co.nz          www.vitalpeace.co.nz