I learned a long time ago that If you can learn to love your body, your life will change.

Being grateful for the skin you’re walking around in may be the best gift you can give yourself today.

I’ve spent a large portion of my adult life single. If you’ve read my book you know I’m on my fourth marriage (don’t think I don’t see you raising your eyebrows and saying, “WHAT! Is she crazy, impossible to live with, or just an eternal optimist?” More on all that later). But those marriages were all quite short. Turns out what I may be is mostly impatient. Short on attention span, perhaps?

But the important part of this tale is that I was single. And with being single comes the concern that because one is single, one must not be desirable.

I used up a lot of brain power and time and energy over the past fifty years wishing I was different.

You know, still me, but a thinner, prettier me with slimmer thighs, straighter teeth, more hair (this was a real problem when I had cancer), larger (dare I say it?) breasts. Basically, I spent precious moments of my life lamenting the fact that I didn’t look more like Julia Roberts. Or my taller, more attractive best friends.

We all do it unless you possess the superpower of total 100% self-acceptance. We live in a world that suggests we should strive for physical perfection. Heck, my thin friends wish they were heavier and that they looked more like me.

This system is so flawed when you allow the humans to be in charge!

One day I read something in an issue of Oprah magazine that shifted my perception. She suggested a daily practice of celebrating your body instead of lamenting it. And this daily practice changed how I see myself. It changed my life.

Here’s how it works:

When you get out of the shower or when you’re headed into the closet to grab something to wear, stop and look at yourself. Naked.

For those of you who don’t feel 100% comfortable seeing yourself naked, just know that you’re about to get over that. Because you’re going to start looking at your naked (and beautiful) self on a daily basis.

Look in the mirror. Examine your skin, your shoulders, your chest, your navel. Observe that amazing neck that holds your head up every single day without you even realizing it (believe me, I had a friend whose neck gave out. Until she had surgery, she either wore a brace or her chin rested on her chest. Celebrate your neck!), look at your hands.

Look everywhere you possibly can. At least this first day, examine your naked self. Even the wrinkles, because they are beautiful proof that you’ve made it this far.

And then choose one body part to celebrate and be grateful for. It can be your shoulder blade or your full lips that your best friend comments on every time you apply lipstick. Your earlobe. Your elbow.

That’s what I first celebrated when this exercise was new. My elbow. Because I was so far gone in my lack of body love that I had to choose something. The other thing I frequently complimented myself on was that curve of skin on my lower back at the bottom of my spine.

I still thought my butt was too big and my breasts were too small and there was a dimple at the top of my belly button that I was sure meant my stomach muscles weren’t strong enough.

What I really thought was that I wasn’t enough!

So I admired my elbow and the curve in my lower back. After several days I was able to move elsewhere. Turns out I have sexy earlobes!

This practice started me noticing how well my body worked.

And then when I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, I very earnestly started thanking my body for a lot of things. Because I learned that my body was a precious machine that kept me walking, talking, moving forward, even when the most insidious of diseases had snuck in and tried to take over.

Be grateful for your body. Only one part today. But take five minutes to thank it. Admire it, love it, celebrate it. You are a miracle. You deserve recognition.

And when you recognize something, you start to love it, which leads to taking better care of it.

Love your body. It’s amazing!