I was working with a client this week, whose daughter is 10 years old and is already showing signs of body image issues. 10 years old!!!!!! This woman is a fantastic mom who supports her daughter to be healthy and strong. But, somehow this adorable young girl is getting messages that her body is not "thin enough."

I recently read an article about a family who allowed their teenage daughter to get a boob job because she didn't like the size of her breasts. The girl was only 16 years old! I am not making a judgment about what this family did--this is more of a discussion about how young people are when these body issues start to sneak in.

I can remember being 13 and already thinking that my body was ugly. 13 years old!!!! I spent many years battling with this voice...never feeling beautiful in my body.

It wasn't until I was widowed at 30 years old, raising 2 young children, and having braces on my teeth...that I didn't care any more. During this period in my life, my body was of no concern! It was sort of "just there!"

I had too full a plate to be critical of myself. Plus, I was in such shock and grief that I didn't have the spare energy to be critical of my body. I was too busy wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent my husband's death!

I lost a lot of weight during that time. Though, it wasn't because I cared about that. Food just tasted like card board. Plus, it took way to much energy to eat and clean all the food out of my braces.

Death, grief and shock (plus having braces) is a great way to loose weight!!!!! I am being facetious here. Though, this was very true for me!

It has been some years since that horrible time...I am in a completely different life! Resiliency is a wonderful thing! Though, the critical voice inside me that says: "Your body is flabby and ugly!" is resilient also.

*So, how do we raise our children to feel good and confident in their bodies?

*How can we as adults appreciate our bodies...no matter where we are physically?

*Is there a way to feel good in a culture that wants the women to look like thin waifs with big boobs? In a culture were men, need to be buff with "6 pack" abs. Whatever the hell that means!

The tricky thing about all of this body issue stuff is that people can not feel healthy in their bodies unless they love their bodies. A body can not thrive in a toxic waste dump of negative thoughts! A body can only thrive when it is fed good stuff...like appreciative thoughts, loving thoughts...gratitude!

So, I would like you to start something! I would like you to speak from a voice of appreciation for your body! Even if the voice of appreciation is a bit of a stretch for you....I want you to try it!

I will start:

I appreciate you, my body, for healing so many things (cuts, scraps, colds and flu's, etc.) without me doing anything!

I appreciate you, my body, as you support me in increasing my strength. I get out and exercise on the days that I feel well enough...and you respond so well to that!

I appreciate you, my body, for remembering how to create muscle. I am already seeing a difference in my muscles...and I am able to lift and carry bags of weeds without my bladder hurting!

I appreciate you, my body, for loving me so unconditionally...you try to send me love even while I am beating the crap out of you!

I appreciate how patient you are with me...even when I am nasty to you, when I think about how "not enough" you are...you patiently take care of me.

I appreciate you, my body, for continuing to heal, even when I tell you that you are not doing enough!

I appreciate that I can sit here and write to you and not be in pain in this moment!

I appreciate that I am becoming more and more pain free...more and more mobile...more and more flexible and more and more strong!

I appreciate you, my body, for housing my soul...my spirit. Because, without this amazing container, I could not experience this physical world...and on the whole this is a very fantastic place!

Thanks body...you rule!!!!!

Your body would love to hear some kind words!