Be your own best friend

You know how fun it is and how motivated you feel when you go to the gym with your best friend? You're pushing each other to try harder. You're encouraging each other. You're aware of when your friend is tired, needs water, needs a short break and you allow them that.

Have you ever considered treating your body the same way?

This thought occurred to me when a friend explained how her body was sore from a workout. She'd noticed a particular area that is weak and thus spent much of her workout focused on that one muscle group. She pushed that area so hard because she was disappointed in its weakness. Consequently, she was in pain in that one area of her body the next day.

I also realized my own body awareness during my most recent endurance athletic event. I knew when it was tired and I rested. I also knew it could take just a little bit more. I thanked it, honored it and sent love to my legs for their strength, my heart for its endurance, my lungs for fresh oxygen.

Maybe it's something I learned in yoga. All I know is that since I've treated my body as my best friend, it, in return, has thanked me for it in all manner of ways.

"If the mind, that rules the body, ever so far forgets itself as to trample on its slave, the slave is never generous enough to forgive the injury, but will rise and smite the oppressor."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Wouldn't you agree?