I’ve been on an extended Harry Styles kick this year. Apparently, he’s been around for a while and a band called One Direction has been a thing for a decade now. Who knew?
I’m being ironic – everyone knew. I know.
Anyway, Harry came onto my radar with “Adore You,” when it blew up in the US, and I basically blasted that song on repeat for months. It’s still in heavy rotation. God, it’s such a good song! I’m a music nerd, and this is a stellar piece of music. So well done.
Aaaaand also, that sent me down the Harry rabbit hole. Dude is an enigma at the same time he’s an open book, and I find him fascinating and interesting and inspiring and totally hilarious (follow his fan accounts on Instagram and you’ll see what I mean). Plus, so damn talented. Whenever we’re back to concerts, you can find me front and center. (Who’s coming with me?)
Back to “Adore You,” I was listening to it during a workout a few weeks ago, and while I was dancing and singing at myself in the mirror, I got to thinking…this right here is a love letter to your body. This is everything your soul wants you to sing to yourself.
Just let me adore you.
Because, God, how long have we spent doing the opposite? Finding all the ways to abhor our bodies instead of adoring them? Not ever believing in any of our wonder under summer skies?
And how often do we ignore this plea from our own bodies, from our hearts, to just let there be connection. Let there be some kind of recognition, even if it’s not love – you don’t have to say you love me – but something, because this is the only body we’ll ever have.
Just let me adore you, like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.
I think the resistance for many of us comes in with a misunderstanding, perhaps a bit of fear, of what this might mean, when really, adore can mean many things. Sure, it can mean love. But it can also simply mean honoring your body. Respecting it. Treasuring it. Taking delight in it. Supporting it. Enjoying it.
I’m working with a current client on her journey through the Fitness Unraveled process. Part of that process is self-reflection worksheets and journaling, which I then go over and provide some additional thoughts and questions for even deeper reflection. Often, I pull out the big energy hits and revelations, suggesting a written sticky note for the bathroom mirror as a reminder.
This past week, my client’s sticky note was, “Enjoy your body.” Which, by the way, she noted she had never said to herself before. I asked her a few days later how it felt to focus on that. She admitted it was different, but it felt freeing.
Almost every single woman I talk to and work with mentions that feeling as one she has a deep desire for – I want to feel free. Free from feeling trapped. Free from the diet and fitness challenge cycle. Free from this cage I put myself in. Free from all this anger and hatred toward my own body. Free from the box society tries to put me in. Free.
What unlocked even the slightest bit of freedom for this woman? Adoration. Her version of adoration. Letting herself adore her own body, in her own way.
Would you believe it?
Maybe you do, maybe you don’t – yet. But what if you let yourself try it on? Adoration doesn’t have to come from a lover or a friend or some nebulous group of followers on the internet. We believe that all the time, but what if we believed it could come from within?
Let me make this little experiment easy: find a mirror, play this song, adore yourself.
Take three and a half minutes to imagine this kind of love coming not from Harry Styles or whoever else, but from you – for you. The kind of adoring energy and feeling and value and worth in your body that you would walk through fire for, like it’s the only thing you’d ever do. Sing it. Dance it. Gaze at it. Touch it. Take selfies of it. Feel it. Get lost in it.
I know, it probably feels weird. Maybe silly. Perhaps actually hard to do. Fine, but you know what? Everything feels weird and silly and hard right now, so why not roll with this? And if we’re all so very conscious of all the hate in the world these days, exactly why do we choose to ignore the hatred toward ourselves and our bodies like there’s no connection at all?
Harry’s known for his simple request to Treat People with Kindness. Guess what? You’re a people. Start acting like it.
Listening to your body’s simple requests is a great place to begin. Shifting away, little by little, from all that negative self-talk about your body is a game-changer. And not only allowing yourself to have gratitude for existing, but maybe even actively consenting to adoring your body in whatever way feels right is radical act of self-care. Letting yourself find your version of adoration for your self is a worthy endeavor.
Believe it.
For weekly reminders and experiments in loving yourself, sign up here. If you’re ready to enjoy your body and find your freedom, schedule a call below and let’s talk about working together.