Imagine your body is like a small child.
What would happen to that small child if…
… every time you look at it you’re full of hatred, disgust or disappointment.
… you punish the child with harsh words every time it makes a mistake.
… you fill it with fear at every meal time. “This causes cancer and this makes you fat and you can’t eat this and it’s dangerous to eat that.”
… you rigidly control everything the child does, even the expression on its face, for the sake of what other people might think.
… when the child has a headache you stuff it with painkillers without bothering to find out what’s causing the pain.
So what would be a better way to treat this child?
Could you love her for who she is, with all her imperfections?
Could you be kind to him when he makes a mistake?
Could you teach her how to nourish her body at meal times, so she learns to love her food.
Could you give him freedom of expression so he can be himself, not worrying about what others think?
Could you help her relax and let go of whatever is causing her headache, so she learns how to prevent it from happening again?
