Jason Mraz does not have attractive feet.

He recently posted a picture of them  with the caption “Thank you feet. For all the places we have been. For all the places we will go. ”

I mean they’re not ugly feet, but he’ll never be a foot model.  Fortunately for him he has about a dozen other talents to fall back on.

It got me thinking about being grateful to and for my body.  Such an odd concept that it felt weird just typing it.

I don’t do that.  I’m grateful for things in my life, but my body is never on the list.

It’s top on my list of things to criticize or compare to others.  Like most women (and I suppose men), I can give you a rundown of things I would change, things that need work and maybe a couple of things I actually like.

But for the most part I baulk at compliments and wonder why my legs don’t look like Jennifer Aniston’s.

The concept of appreciating and being thankful for a body, whatever the outward appearance, that gets up every morning and works for me, takes me places.

Arms that hold those I love, legs that are strong and skin that’s soft.  A body with a healthy heart and lungs that can really take in the ocean air.

I’m in love with this idea.  Being thankful for strength and health and what a body allows me to do.

I’ve heard all the positive affirmations “It’s what’s on the inside that counts”  “Just be grateful for your health” but they always come across as silly and overdone and usually what people tell themselves when they’ve received bad news or they just polished off a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.

It is easy to say the media or fashion magazines make people more critical of themselves.  We are a beauty obsessed society, right?

I think that’s a copout and no one makes me do anything.  I choose to pull myself into the pick and pinch game.

To really look at your body and thank it, regardless of whether it’s having a bad hair day or it won’t quite squeeze into your jeans.  I’m going to work on this.

Because at the end of my life I know, I just know, that I will not remember a single outfit I wore or whether or not my thighs looked good, but I will remember the places my body took me, the feeling of sweating or my heart pounding with excitement (ooh, that sounds a little risque, but I’ll leave it.)  I’ll remember climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe or the divide road on Catalina Island.  I’ll remember the wind in my face and my eyes that allow me to see it all.

I know all of these things and yet I’ll still wake up next week and decide I need to clock more hours on the treadmill or invest in some new cream for my face.  So stupid, but there it is.

But, I will work on this.  Thanks to Jason Mraz and his really quite cute feet, I will try to be grateful more than I criticize.

My thoughts from the laundry room.  Your Body Needs Sleep.

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