By Terry Cole-Whittaker 
We can observe how people make themselves miserable by judging their bodies as not good enough.
Oh, how I suffered from judging my body as not pretty enough and sexy enough to attract and keep the man I wanted. Every beautiful woman was a potential enemy, a threat to my happiness. A scenario like this pits a woman against other women, as if a man were the source of her happiness and survival.
I thought I was my body, so my perception of it influenced how I felt and what I did.
Judging our bodies as not pretty enough, not good enough to receive love, protection, or the attention of another, can lead to de-pression.
We can stop such unhealthy behavior by learning to keep our minds in the transcendental position, instead of constantly judging ourselves as good or bad. Observe your thoughts and feelings about your body and the bodies of others. Notice which beliefs have been running, and perhaps ruining, your life. You cannot control someone else’s mind or actions, but you can control your own mind and actions.
Find Inner Happiness
The solution to body problems, and all problems, is to learn to be happy, deep down happy, at the core of our being. Shaming ourselves because of the age, shape, color, sex, or condition of our bodies does not make us beautiful by any standard. And it does not make us happy; it can, however, make us seriously mentally ill and physically sick. Emotional distress can lead to chemical imbalances and substance dependencies, as well as to physical illnesses and aberrations in our behavior.
What we need to know is how important our consciousness - what we think, believe, and feel emotionally - is for excellent health. Even a virus has no effect on the body if our immune system is strong enough and we do not give the virus power through our beliefs and thoughts.
The power of the spiritualized mind is great, and simply by changing her attitude a person can slough off physical illness. One of the very best medicines is bliss combined with a positive mental attitude.
Why stop feeling good in order to judge your body as too fat, thin, old or ugly? What is the value of self-torture? It does not change anything for the better, and it makes us self-destruct.
A happy, smiling face that expresses affection and kindness is always the most beautiful. It’s an expression of the soul radiating its brilliance and warmth.
Cycles Of Life
Realize that, over time, all bodies change in appearance, beginning at the moment of conception. Everything made of matter goes through a cycle, beginning, continuing for a while, and disintegrating. Why look into the mirror each day and cry because your body does not look like it used to, or does not look as good as someone else’s? Put a cloth over the mirror and forget about what the body looks like, or learn to enjoy the effects of time on the physical body.
As we age, we must recognize that our senior years are meant for helping others with our wisdom and love, not for our complaints and litanies of losses. What benefits do we get from complaining? How do complaints give us bliss?
Stop perceiving yourself as a physical being and instead perceive yourself as a spiritual being beyond time or matter, and express yourself through your spiritual mind. Don’t listen to people who criticize your body or tell you that you’re useless or unwanted — they are up to no good and are seeking pleasure from your pain.
God wants you and is sending unlimited amounts of love to you, but you must accept it to feel it. Be grateful that you have a body, take care of it so that it functions well, and go about your mission.
Terry Cole-Whittaker travels the world speaking to both spiritual and entrepreneurial groups. Her five bestsellers have earned her coverage in all major print, radio, and television media. She lives in Los Angeles, CA. Visit her online at http://www.terrycolewhittaker.com.
Excerpted from the book Live Your Bliss 2009 by Terry Cole-Whittaker. Printed with permission from New World Library http://www.newworldlibrary.com.