Body Positivity: Wake Up Everyday and Thank Your Body

Ok, we’re going to take a minute and talk about some body positivity for a minute because we feel it is so important to keep at the forefront of our minds. As women, it can be so easy to judge ourselves and our bodies based on other people’s bodies, opinions, or what we see in the media, but resisting those urges to compare ourselves to other people is so important for our mental health and well being.

As mountain bikers, we know that our bodies are what power our bikes and that we would get nowhere without our legs propelling us forward. We also know how quickly you can take a fall and sustain an injury that leaves you sitting on the sidelines for a few weeks or even months. When you’re unable to do what you normally can and want to do, those can be some mentally tough times to weather. Those are the moments that make us pause to reflect upon when we were able to ride and do things with ease. One single fall can leave you in a wrist cast for a few weeks, unable to do even simple things like put your hair into a pony tail, button your jeans, or prepare food. How quickly we realize how we’ve taken our health and bodies for granted and all of the amazing things they do for us. Another fall could leave you resigned to using crutches temporarily and when it takes you double the time to get everywhere you’re used to, you quickly remember how nice it was so move with ease.

What we’re trying to say is that for people who are generally able bodied (and really everyone!), be grateful for what you have and do not take that for granted for even one minute, because as a mountain biker, you know how quickly you can be laid up and unable to complete daily tasks as easily as you’re used to. We think it’s so incredibly important to love your whole body and to thank all of your amazing body parts that let you move through this world and do things. Don’t spend your time wishing you had a different body or you could change something. This is the only body you’ll ever have on this earth, so learn to love it and appreciate all the amazing things it does for you. It powers you up hill, embraces your loved ones, gets you from here to there, and everything in between. Your body is a wonderful machine and if you can learn to love all of its quirks, you can appreciate what you have rather than wishing you had something else. Self-love is tremendously important and we want to share a body positive message and the necessity of respecting yourself (and others!).

So, when you wake up the next day, and every day after that, take a moment to thank your body for what it is, rather that what it isn’t, and for all the wonderful things it does for you. By thinking that way, you’ll be better prepared for all the curveballs life throws at you such as injury, negativity, and other obstacles.