I know that’s not what you want to hear, but what can I say, it’s the truth and we can’t deny the truth for too long now, can we?

Yes, your body is seemingly causing you endless amounts of distress, agony and pain. I know, I’ve been there. I blamed my body for everything: my non-existent dating life, my brother’s abuse, my many insecurities and my mental torture. And so I lost sight of all the wonders that once seemed so valuable and fun – like being able to walk and explore the big world of the grown-ups or beginning to talk and say what it was I actually wanted.

As I began to heal and work on my body image, I finally opened my eyes again and couldn’t believe what I had missed.

The same can be true for you, too.

If you take a step back, take a long, deep breath and are willing to see the true beauty of your body, I’m certain you’ll join me in amazement for the body you so loathe.

Are you ready to give it a shot? Just for the sake of this experience, be open to the possibility that your mindset, your current thoughts are slightly or entirely wrong. Open yourself up to seeing the truth behind the curtain of lies.

Let’s do it.

1.    Your body doesn't want to trick you.

Your eating disorder is telling you that your body’s innate signals for hunger and thirst are wrong, but why would that be the case? Why would your body want to cause you harm? The simple answer is, it doesn't. When your body is hungry, all it needs is fuel to live, to love, to be. Nothing more and nothing less. Your body is not trying to trick you into anything that would make you a lesser person; it’s just trying to thrive.

2.    Your body is a vessel for your work.

Who would you be without your body? Or more practically: what could you do without your body? Nothing. You wouldn’t be here. Your body enables you to do the work you were meant to do in this world and to be the person you were meant to be. Because of your body, you get to live, breathe, create, love, feel, heal and so much more. You get to run. You get to do cartwheels. You get to give your loved ones a hug. You get to create meaningful art or write powerful words. Because of your body you get to make a dent on this world.

3.    Your body is your most accurate passport.

We are all different. We are all unique. One of the many things I love about traveling the world is to see the many different shapes, sizes, colors we beautiful humans come in. Isn’t it amazing how bodies adapt to the environment? Isn’t it fascinating that there are peoples who are rather short and there are those who are generally tall? Instead of judging, think about the wonders of your shape when you look in the mirror.

4.    Your body is ever changing.

Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in your body were not there a year ago. The skeleton that seems so solid was not there three months ago. The configuration of the bone cells remains somewhat constant, but atoms of all kinds pass freely back and forth through the cell walls, and by that means you acquire a new skeleton every three months.

The skin is new every month. You have a new stomach lining every four days, with the actual surface cells that contact food being renewed every five minutes. The cells in the liver turn over very slowly, but new atoms still flow through them, like water in a river course, making a new liver every six weeks. Even within the brain, the content of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and so on is totally different today from a year ago. [1]

5.    Your body is a super hard worker.

On top of being actively at work all day long, your body never sleeps. In fact, your brain is more active while you’re blissfully slumbering than it is when you’re wide-awake and at the same time you are growing about 8mm.

Some interesting facts:

• Each kidney contains 1 million individual filters. They filter an average of around 1.3 liters (2.2 pints) of blood per minute.
• The focusing muscles of the eyes move around 100,000 times a day. To give your leg muscles the same workout, you would need to walk 50 miles every day.
• In 30 minutes, the average body gives off enough heat (combined) to bring a half-gallon of water to boil. [2]
• If that isn’t fascinating, then I really don’t know what is.

6.    Your body is super strong.

• One human hair can support 3.5 ounces, which is about the weight of two full size candy bars. If you thought Rapunzel was just a fairy tale, think again.
• Babies are, pound for pound, stronger than an ox and especially their cute little feet are extremely powerful and strong. So, watch out!

7.    Your body is wise beyond your years.  [3]

Every atom in your body is billions of years old. Hydrogen, the most common element in the universe and a major feature of your body, was produced in the big bang 13.7bn years ago. Heavier atoms such as carbon and oxygen were forged in stars between 7bn and 12bn years ago, and blasted across space when the stars exploded. Some of these explosions were so powerful that they also produced the elements heavier than iron, which stars can't construct.

This means that the components of your body are truly ancient: you are stardust.

Now, do you still think your body is just this thing that causes you distress, agony and pain? If you do, read this article again and again and again until you see the star you are. 

[1] Adapted from Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine by Deepak Chopra
[2] http://listverse.com/2008/06/10/top-15-amazing-facts-about-the-human-body/
[3] http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jan/27/20-human-body-facts-science

About the author: Anne-Sophie Reinhardt is a body image expert, self-love advocate and the author of Love Your Body The Way It Is. Join her newsletter and receive your free 3-part video series empowering you to accept yourself wholeheartedly.