I just finished The Body Book by Cameron Diaz. It has a lot of great science-based information coupled with an amazing philosophy of how we can make our bodies work for us. I was hugely inspired by the overall philosophy in this book and found what I am sure will be one of my all-time favorite quotes:

“When I first transformed my body into a strong body, those feelings of strength started in my muscles and they crept into my head and my heart, and into the way I saw the world, and the way I saw myself. As I got stronger, I began to feel more powerful… like I could pick up anything that got in my way and just set it gently aside so that I could keep moving.

As my physical abilities increased, my understanding of what I could do in my training, and in my career, and in my entire life, for that matter, grew by leaps and bounds, grew humongously, grew exponentially. That same power can be yours if you want it to be.”

– Cameron Diaz “The Body Book”  

When I listened to this part of the book, it made me stop what I was doing, and I rewound it and listened to it multiple times, and then I just had to write this quote down. I was blown away by how perfectly Diaz summed up exactly what I am trying to promote with my blog and social media platforms. I have felt the power she is talking about here and it has changed my life. I am so passionate about the idea that physical activity not only gives us physical strength, but it builds us mentally and emotionally as well. I dedicated an entire year of my life to my Thesis project on this topic because I see how many of the young girls in my classroom lack this power. I want so badly for all women to discover and take hold of their power too. Every time I read this quote I think, YES! 

YES! This is what we should be doing with our bodies. Moving them and appreciating them in happiness and gratitude. Not shaming them and hating them for what they are not, but loving them and appreciating them for what they are. Our bodies are here to serve us; they are simply a vessel through which we can show the world our true beauty. Our bodies give us life, movement, babies, and the ability to work, love, and express ourselves. Our bodies give us so much more than we realize and often we forget to give to them in return. Give your body the grace, kindness, and appreciation it deserves. Look at your body through the eyes of a mother looking at their child, and appreciate what it has done and can do for you. 

Finding strength and power in our bodies can show us how strong and powerful we truly are. If you want to build confidence, set a goal and accomplish something hard. It is truly incredible what can happen when we take action to change our mindset. My body is not perfect, my body is not “swimsuit ready,” my body is not “sexy,” my body is not magazine-worthy, but my body is mine and it is strong, capable, resilient, and most importantly an example to my daughter. It is the only body that I have: I will not shame it, I will not hate it, and I will not neglect it, because it has given me too much to be ungrateful. I will do my best to love it, speak kindly about it, nourish it, strengthen it, and appreciate it for what it is.