Seeing her got me thinking about bodies. I believe we are spiritual beings inhabiting a physical body. This body has carried me through some extraordinary experiences. It has transformed, sustained injuries, birthed two beautiful offspring and carried my spirit through thousands of moments in time. Sometimes along the way, the wings have been torn, some scars still visible.

The butterfly looks nothing like what it will become when it first comes into the world. In its early form, there are no wings. Yet everything it needs to move to its next stage of life is within. It hides away from the world for a brief time to do its work, then reappears as a whole new being. 

I can learn a lot from this beautiful little being. She had everything she needed to transform. So do I, and so do you. 

The body we desire is already within us. 

Releasing excess weight is simply an unveiling of the body that waits underneath. We already have it. We need only to allow its unveiling. Honestly, it had never really occurred to me before that all this time thinking about the “perfect” body like it’s out there somewhere, or on my vision board, and yet, it’s literally right here, right now, just not yet fully revealed. It was a real “aha” moment. 

This way of thinking will help you recognize you need to be a little kinder to your body. It’s precious, it’s gotten you everywhere you have gone in your life. So rather than look in the mirror and grimace, try looking again and begin to see what is emerging. Accept what is right in front of you. Flip the script from what isn’t there or what isn’t right, and begin working on acceptance. Think about all of the things our bodies do for us each and every day without us thinking about it. It’s working hard for you 24/7, pumping blood, allowing breathe, renewing itself every second, lifting, bending, hugging and creating. 

Snap a photo and spend a little time studying the photo. Notice what comes up, and begin to shift the energy around it. You already have the body you want, it’s simply not revealed fully yet. See how that feels versus wishing and hoping you were skinnier. That sort of thinking signals lack. You already have everything you need. Begin seeing through the lens of abundance versus lack. 

The unveiling occurs directly as a result of our choices. Transformation is a choice. We choose the unveiling every time we choose the foods that will fuel rather than inhibit this transformation. Every time we stretch, or walk, or cleanse…we are unveiling. Trust you have the time to take good and deep care of this body. No matter how busy you are, there is time. The most successful people in the world understand that time for self-care makes them more effective.  

10 minutes of meditation each day can buy you hours more of peace and focus. A brisk walk can help you raise your energy and relieve tension. Bring your full attention to preparing food for the day and be willing to notice the negative stuff that creeps in. Rather than resisting it, simply acknowledge, then shift it into the positive. Flip the script. Recognize this is just self-talk, and you are the one generating it, so in turn, you have the power to shift those thoughts. 

Over the weekend, I realized my husband and I don’t have any recent pictures together, mainly because I have been avoiding cameras and mirrors since my weight gain. The crazy head games I play. So instead of continuing the crazy, I surrendered.