How to Love Your Belly
How do you feel about your belly, beer gut, muffin top? Do you regularly suck your belly in, even when no one else is around? Do you look at your belly and think, "Ugh, why are you hanging out like that??!! Go away!" or "Why are you so big??!!"
Trust me, I've done the same so many many times. I've said so many truly mean things to my belly that I would NEVER say to anyone. I've pinched it, poked it, hated on my belly so much.
But the thing is, your belly is a true powerhouse of your body. You've heard of the core right? And yes, almost all movement in your body really does come from your core. If you've ever gone snowboarding or exercised a ton and woke up the next day with your tummy muscles super sore, unable to even roll out of bed, you'll know how key your core is to movement. Your belly also digests your food, turns it into poop and pushes the waste out.
The power of your belly goes way past just the physical too. Your lower belly holds so much amazing creative and emotional energy (In yoga it's called the sacral chakra). And by "creative" I don't just mean artistic. I mean all kinds of creation... from knitting a sweater, to building a car, to creating and growing a little human baby.... your tummy is where creation starts!
Little kids know this - you see them running around with their bellies hanging out, not a care in the world!
So imagine what happens to your powerhouse when you send so much negative energy to it.... you basically cut yourself off from your hub of power! And what starts to occur is digestive issues, reproductive problems, reduced creativity, reduced connection to your emotions, addiction... so many unhappy side effects.
So what can you do to love your belly? An activity that I call belly love.... it's so simple but so potent in healing. I recommend doing this in the shower or bath, you'll really find yourself connecting! (Warning: you will probably feel ridiculous doing this at first, but just try it out anyway)
Put your hands over your lower belly (under your belly button) and start to find a deep breathing in and out of your belly. If you're sucking your belly in, let it RELAX, let your belly be FREE. Start connecting to how your belly feels as you breathe, is it cold, warm, hot? Do you feel knotted up, nervous, unable to relax? Then start rub your belly in circles and start telling your belly "I love you." "Sorry for being mean to you, thank you for all you do for me, thank you for helping me to walk and move and digest and create!" Think of all the amazing things your belly does for you and appreciate all of it. Then close your eyes, deeply connect to your belly, and say "I love you" 3 times again.
If you’ve ever had a baby, I recommend doing this activity and thinking through your entire labor process and imagining sending your uterus and ovaries love, rest, and healing.
I love YOU and hope this activity helps you build a healthier relationship with your belly. Let me know how this works for you!
