Listening to the body,trusting it, and thanking it.

I slept for 3 hours this afternoon on the sofa. There was a time not so long ago that I would not have allowed myself to do that. My fear of not getting to sleep that night would have advised me not to go to sleep. Now I allow my body to do what it wants to do and I listen to it and trust it. I trust I can deal with the consequences of these actions too. If I am awake, I will simply find something to do, read a book, watch a film, design a garden maybe.

My body gets to sleep when it wants to these days. It gets to go for a walk when it needs to have one, it swims when it wants for as many lengths as it likes, it eats what is good for it and I get it food it likes and benefits from. I listen to its promptings and I trust it. We are cooperating to lose a bit of weight at the moment, and it has lost 4 kilos since the beginning of the year.

I’m not very overweight but have a little more to lose to get to a weight which is about right for my frame. I want to be kind to my body and not make it carry more weight than it is designed for. I am also enjoying being lighter on my feet, that feels really excellent. I am doing this gradually and slowly, no rush, and no faddy diets. Just been learning to recognise when I am full up, and when it is right to stop eating. And as I am eating less I am eating slowly and mindfully and enjoying it more. I feel compassion towards my body, and it works hard to support me. Thanks to this body for carrying me around and working so efficiently!

I hardly ever drink so much alcohol that I get a hangover the next day. I used to regularly have hangovers and accepted them as part of my ‘lifestyle choice’. I do not like doing that to my body now, and it is an abuse which is not in keeping with self care and self compassion.

I do like a little drink at the weekends, but these days it is only a couple of bottles of mild fruity cider in the evening. I get a nice little buzz but it is miles from enough to give the body a hangover the next day. Enough to get it up for the loo more  at night though! That is an inconvenience I can live with.