WALKtober Day 22: Body Scan
Daily Task: Your WALKtober Challenge is to complete a full-body gratitude scan.
Start at the bottom of your body and working your way up and THANK each body part and what it does for you. This is not a time to draw attention to aches, pains, unrest, or dissatisfaction with that body part. If those thoughts come up, thank the thought and get right back into gratitude. We are here to THANK our bodies and all that it DOES.
Being a personal trainer, I meet a lot of people who HATE their bodies. We start here. With Gratitude. Loving your body right where you are today. Watch a short guided video below or feel free to take this idea and see what comes up for you on your walk. Below is a script you can follow along if you are struggling to stay in the moment of gratitude.
Feet: Your feet are the stabilizing base of your kinetic chain. Thank your feet for every single step you have taken in your life. Wiggle your toes and feel the bounce in your step as you move from heel to toe. Bring up a memory of a time you needed your feet the most and how they carried you through whatever that was. Thank your feet. *If you lost a foot or your feet have never worked, that's ok. Thank your feet for still being a part of you. Your story.
Thighs/Legs - Bringing your gratitude up to your legs. Thank your legs for being pillars of strength in your life. Think of how strong each leg needs to be to carry you effortlessly through each day. Think of a time your legs felt powerful. Thank your legs. * If you lost a limb or you lost the use of your legs, find a way to place gratitude on how you move through the use of a chair/scooter or prosthetic leg.
Hips & Back: Thank your hips and your back! Think about how your hips are designed. The ball in socket allows your legs to move back & forth, and Side to Side. Think about a time you remember you needed your hips. Moving. Dancing. Thank your hips and back.
Tummy: Make your way to your stomach. Thank your tummy! For all of the intuition, core strength, belly laughs, and ability to nourish your body through digestion. Thank your tummy where you are today. *If you carried a child, thank your tummy for growing a human to full term or not. If not, thank your tummy for trying.
Shoulders/Arms/Chest: Now thank your shoulders for sometimes carrying the weight of the world on them. Thank your arms for the warm hugs, high fives, typing, cooking, showering, creating, and literally everything! Thank your arms, hands, chest, and shoulders.
Muscles/Joints - Thank your muscles and joints for providing great stability distributed throughout all our bodies, when we are standing, when we carry something, or when in dynamic postures (like walking). Muscles have a unique role in stabilizing the ligaments and maintaining a healthy posture.
Head: Ending with our head, Thank your neck, ears for hearing, mouth for tasting, nose for smelling, eyes for seeing, and your big beautiful brain. Thank your brain for all of the good ideas and for stopping the not so good ones. Thank the freckles on your skin, the sunspots, and even the crows feet around your eyes. These are gifts of time, laughter, and experiences.
