Mantra with Jemma Sbeg - I Respect My Body by Prioritizing Its Well-Being

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

This week's mantra is I Respect My Body by Prioritizing Its Well-Being. Your body is your home, deserving of love, care, and attention. In this episode of Mantra, we’ll explore how to tune into your body’s needs, release harmful habits, and build routines that support your physical and mental health. Respecting your body isn’t about striving for perfection—it’s about cultivating a relationship of trust and gratitude with yourself. Let this mantra inspire you to take small, intentional steps toward feeling strong, balanced, and whole. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to OpenMind+ on Apple Podcasts. For more from OpenMind, follow us on Instagram @openmindstudios. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Open Mind. Welcome to a brand new week. Here is your mantra. I respect my body by prioritizing its well-being. I'm your host, Gemma Speck, and I'm here to guide you toward a more centered and fulfilling life. Each week, I'll share personal stories and insights that are focused on a specific mantra, plus journal prompts and a weekly challenge

for all of us to help put it into action. Think of mantra as your mental reset button, a way to stay centered as you juggle work, school, family and whatever else life throws at you. Each mantra is a simple, powerful phrase you can repeat to refocus your thoughts and bring a little bit of calm into your day. It's a small tool with a big impact, clearing your mind, lifting your mood and rooting you in the present.

If you've listened to my other show, The Psychology of Your 20s, you know I'm all about those tiny little nuggets of insight that actually make a really big impact. So whether you are looking for some extra inspiration or you're trying to ground yourself amidst the chaos, you have come to the right place. At Open Mind, we value your support, share your thoughts on social media and remember

to rate, review and follow Mantra to help others discover the show. For more exclusive content, monthly bonus episodes, early access and ad-free listening, join our Open Mind Plus community on Apple Podcasts. This week, I'll catch you up on what's been going on in my life, and then we'll dive into today's mantra, I respect my body by prioritizing its wellbeing. This mantra is all about recognizing the power of small, intentional, almost simple choices that nurture your physical and mental health and why those two things are probably your most important assets that you have today. Stick around, we'll be right back after this short pause. Welcome back, we are going to get into this week's mantra in just a second, but before

we do, it's time for my high slows and who knows. And today I'm on a high. I'm on an absolute high because I managed to interview my dream guest for the podcast. And I just cannot even believe I'm saying these words, but I got to interview Elizabeth Gilbert, my personal hero, my personal champion, everything I want to be in this world. If you don't know who she is, she's the author of Eat, Pray, Love, most famously. But her best book, in my opinion,

is this book called Big Magic. I talk about this book all the time because if you are a creative person, if you are someone who has a creative hobby, passion, dream, this book summarizes every single feeling that you likely have. Feelings of imposter syndrome and doubt and creative block and ambition versus appreciation versus passion versus practicality. It is just the most wonderful book I have ever read. And back in 2021, when I first read that book,

I took a picture with it and I posted it on Instagram and I said, this is my dream guest. Elizabeth Gilbert is my dream guest. And four years later, it happened. And I spent the entire time almost in a daze, trying not to be too strange and awkward about my obvious appreciation and love for her. But I just think it's a real lesson

and a really good reminder that just because your dream or your goal isn't happening right now doesn't mean it will never happen. Back in 2021, this idea of getting to interview my personal hero was very ambitious. I'm actually sure that if I had the opportunity back then, it wouldn't have been very good. But slowly things were working in the background. I was working in the background to eventually make this happen. Maybe not on schedule based on what my previous former self wanted, but still

it happened. And that's a real lesson in patience and perseverance and I guess just timing. So you can actually go and listen to the interview right now. She is remarkable. She is a beautiful speaker. She has so much wisdom to share. And you can definitely tell I'm a little bit starstruck, but that was my high from last week and I'm definitely still riding that wave. Okay, let's get into it. It's time for this week's mantra. I respect my body by prioritizing its wellbeing. When we talk about respecting our mantra, I respect my body by prioritizing its wellbeing. When we talk about respecting our body, I do think everyone has a different meaning

or version of what that looks like for them. And there are definitely extremes on either side. Some people see respect as maintaining their physical form through elite sport or bodybuilding. Others see this through intuitive eating or through softness, through gentler practices, slow movement, good sleep. How we choose to show our body kindness and respect is definitely an individual preference that really derives from a number of factors. How we were raised, the culture we were born into, the media we were exposed to as children, our family's beliefs as well, some of which probably weren't entirely positive,

and that we do need to unlearn the older we get. But regardless of what you think or personally believe, I think some statements about treating our body with respect and prioritizing wellbeing are just facts. They can't be argued with. Some of these facts are that you cannot function mentally, cognitively, and emotionally if your body is not being taken care of. Neglecting your physical wellbeing, that is going to bleed into other areas of your life. Another fact, there are certain

things that will always make you feel good. You know, a very nutritious meal, a good night's sleep, a big glass of water when you're thirsty, a walk, a rest day, connecting with friends. And finally, and this is the biggest fact of all, your body is your home for a lifetime. You are not going to get another one. It is really with you until the end, and it is the most sacred place you'll ever visit on Earth. I always find that reminding myself of this is an instant motivator to change any behavior or habit that I'm working on fixing.

Whether it's eating more nutritious food, drinking less, getting outside more. I really like to remember what's at stake here. I cannot replace my physical form. As an extension, I also try to think, would I treat the body of a loved one the way that I'm treating mine? Would I be happy projecting my habits onto someone I

love and who I wanted to have around for as long as possible? And if the answer is no, then that's really a wake-up call to change what I'm doing. With that, I do think that we can all also agree that prioritizing our wellbeing means finding a way to connect with our body in a manner that just simply makes you feel better, not worse. And that is such a simple statement, but let me elaborate. I think respecting your body really entails adopting a lifestyle that isn't going to treat

your body like it's something that deserves to be punished. It's not going to treat your body like it's something that needs to look a certain way to be accepted or as something to be pushed beyond its limits as something that can be replaced, but rather as the most worthy investment of your life. So what does that look like? Please tell me if you relate, but I always see these videos on Instagram or TikTok about very extreme health and wellness practices. Some that I've seen rising to the surface recently include things like biohacking or

the Wim Hof method or like a 12 part vitamin routine, plasma exchanges, just wild things. And it's accompanied by people advocating to their followers that these practices have changed their life. And I really don't doubt that they believe that or that maybe that has been the case, but for the average person, people like you and me, prioritizing your wellbeing, it doesn't lie in the extremes. I think in a society that is always searching for the next best, big, wonderful, million dollar thing, the next hack that is going to change your life overnight, we're forgetting

the foundations of what it actually means to be well. And the answer always lies in what has allowed the human race to survive and thrive for so long. That is foods given to us by the earth, sunlight, sleep, pleasure, water, movement, a safe place to live and community. That is the fundamentals of being a well-human. If you don't have these foundations secured, if you're not going outdoors,

if you're not eating your fiber or connecting with those you love, if you don't feel safe in your environment and in your body, I don't think that oil pulling or intense dieting or another supplement, any of those things is going to help you. The best and the most rewarding things in life contain balance and the same goes for respecting your wellbeing. Once you have solidified those basics, I do think that that is when you can begin to add in your own flair. You can try all those new methods for elevating your wellbeing and elevating how you feel

about yourself, But before then, just make sure that you are not skipping over the simple stuff first. So I really want to implore you, if you feel very persuaded by these extreme methods, please look at your life first. That's all I'm asking. If you're feeling off, if your body doesn't feel right, ask yourself, when was the last time I actually felt refreshed after a night's sleep? When was the last time I spent time in nature? When was the last time I gave my body the nutrition that it was needing? When was the last time I didn't spend an hour, two hours, three hours scrolling on a screen before bed or immediately after waking up.

Think of this like a bonus challenge in addition to the one we're going to talk about later on. So I want to challenge you to do my own version of 75 hard, one of those extreme health challenges that we see. My challenge is this, I want you to spend just a week focused on the core pillars of your wellbeing and listening to what your body needs. Notice hunger, notice jitters, notice when you're tired or thirsty and give your body what it wants.

It will definitely be a challenge, but I think we need to repair this connection between our mind and our body and the two-way street that should be performing between these two. After that week is done, after you've put your body and your health at the center of your life, tell me you don't feel differently. Tell me you don't feel better. I want to briefly touch on why the connection between our mind, body, and our health has become so strained. Modern life, and this is my opinion, but I think it prioritizes productivity over rest.

It prioritizes hustle over mindfulness and quick fixes over sustainable health practices. As a result, we've really lost touch with the natural signals of our body, hunger, fatigue, stress. We've lost touch with what it means to feel good, and that leaves us very disconnected from true health and wellness. Of course, it's going to leave a lot of us just looking for something that is going to make us

feel better in the moment. Our physical wellbeing has also become less important because how we feel physically is not as important as in some ways how we look physically. Am I thin? Do I look fit enough? Do I fit into a certain size of jeans? Does that person find me attractive? How do I look fit enough? Do I fit into a certain size of jeans? Does that person

find me attractive? How do I look online? Not how do I feel? That's not as important. It's definitely a focus on the outside instead of the inside. This is why we really need to see a shift and I would say soon and I think it starts with you and me. Showing care and love towards our physical bodies is a magnificent way of showing love to the deeper parts of ourselves. For me, it becomes almost like a ritual. Caring for myself, giving myself what I need, even if I feel guilty about it, guilty for resting, guilty for whatever it may be.

It's just for me. It's all for me and I will be the one feel guilty about it, guilty for resting, guilty for whatever it may be. It's just for me. It's all for me and I will be the one thanking myself later down the line, whether it is in a few hours, a week, in 10 years from now, that is what it means to invest in something. Maybe you won't get the return in the next second. Maybe others will see how you're treating your body by giving it more rest or the benefit of the doubt and think that's the wrong thing to do. But that doesn't mean that making small changes or sometimes even sacrifices isn't going

to pay off and really matter in the long run. Taking time to reflect on what it means to truly respect your body can reveal so much about how we show up for ourselves in every aspect of our life as well. When we prioritize well-being, it's not just about health, it is about creating a foundation for living with intention, with balance, and with self-worth really at the center. It also just reminds me of this amazing quote that a friend told me the other day, the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago,

the second best time is now. Again, even if you're feeling like you don't have the momentum and you haven't built the habits up so far to prioritize your well-being, actually that's not bad news. The second best time is now and that's where you are in this moment. So I think it's a real motivator to just start.

Coming up, let's get personal. I'll share some of my own experiences when I've honored my body, when I haven't and what those moments taught me about self-respect and balance, but most importantly about wellbeing. Stay tuned for more after this brief pause. Welcome back.

Now that we've looked at the meaning behind today's mantra, it's time to get personal with you all and share some of my own insights and reflections about this phrase. So I want to talk about two times. Firstly, I'm going to talk about the time I felt best about my well-being and my body. I'll be completely clear, it had absolutely nothing to do with how I looked, but how I felt and how I was deeply grounded and

energized and felt just good about myself. The time I felt this was the summer of last year. The big difference for me from previous summers or previous times in my life was how connected I was with nature, but also how I was really in tune with the natural rhythms of my body. I was living in Queensland on the Gold Coast at the time on this beautiful property, this beautiful property up in the ranges, up in the mountains. It's tropical and there's fresh water everywhere,

but it's also just a short drive from the beach. I wasn't working. I took the summer off to not work. I had prerecorded all my episodes. I ticked everything off my to-do list. I'd put my out of office on and I just spent the whole summer waking with the sun, eating when I felt hungry, swimming as much as I needed, napping when I wanted to, moving my body in some capacity every day and I felt amazing.

Everything to my vision, to my mental clarity felt clearer, my body ached less, it felt more like mine. And I think it was the most valuable lesson in wellbeing for me. There had been such a time previously where I'd gotten so invested in wellness trends and in fad dieting and over-exercising, thinking that was going to make me feel better. And here it was, it was the basics. It was the time where I felt most human and most in touch with how I was meant to perform and how I was meant to be. This time in my life felt so removed from another time in my life.

And it was actually earlier in that same year when I can acknowledge I didn't have the same respect for my body. I wasn't treating it like the sacred space that it was. I was treating it like it was a machine where I put fuel in, I pushed till the tank was almost empty, almost running on fumes, and then I'd refuel. I wouldn't rest, maybe for a day, but then I would be back on the road.

Truly, the machine metaphor is probably the best I can think of because that is how I felt. This thing, this physical form was just a tool, it was nothing else. At the time, I was writing my first book, I was also moving, I was traveling for work a lot, I was putting way too much on my plate, I was just saying yes to everything. And I was definitely at stage 12 of burnout. I was at the end of the road when it came to burnout.

I had passed the exhaustion phase and I'd moved into the adrenaline phase. You know, in all seriousness, the only time I could get things done was when I was supremely stressed about them. So I was just relying on cortisol to get me through. And here's what happened in response to me not respecting my body's limits. I got really sick. I ended up getting chronic tonsillitis, stomach ulcers, my skin looked terrible,

my hair looked terrible, I was always bloated, my body felt weak because I had ignored every warning sign that I needed rest and that I needed time away to take care of myself. When I finally realized what had caused this and how the path forward was looking pretty bleak, I took a step back and honestly did a total re-haul, rethinking of my boundaries with regards to how hard and far I was willing to push myself. And I did feel some instant relief in taking a step back, but what followed was also a more intense feeling of guilt and of panic.

And I'm sure a lot of us feel very similarly if you are someone who is a high achiever, who is used to pushing themselves. I felt so ungrateful for taking time away and looking after myself. I felt bad not working. I would be on the couch just trying to enjoy watching the office or friends, getting meals cooked for me by my boyfriend and doing some coloring in. It was meant to be this peaceful experience and I felt terrible. My mind was just itching to be productive. It was like pressing alarm bells saying, you're not doing enough. There are other people who aren't resting.

There are other people who don't need this. And so my days didn't feel as meaningful. If I didn't get something done, if I didn't do some work for a few hours, despite literally being on antibiotics and Ben Rest, I just felt terrible in all aspects. And I think this is a common experience when you tie so much of your work to being productive and to your output, you do feel selfish for taking care of yourself first, specifically your physical well-being,

but also your mental well-being. Another part of this is also that this notion of needing rest specifically your physical wellbeing, but also your mental wellbeing. Another part of this is also that this notion of needing rest to sustain yourself has only recently in my mind, you know, really regained public acceptance. And there are still plenty of people who would confuse much needed rest, rejuvenation, relaxation with laziness and a lack of discipline. And maybe they might be so bold as to tell you that. For decades, societal norms have equated constant busyness and overwork with discipline and

ambition and success. And those things are qualities that we admire. But rest is not a sign of weakness. It's actually a biological and psychological need. It's going to enable you to recharge, to be more creative, to process emotions. And it's essential for long-term productivity,

as is taking care of your body in so many other ways, of making sure that you are fueling it correctly, you are hydrating it correctly, you are giving it those little sparkles of joy through friends and through connection. Really, I think what we're focused on when we reject rest is what will other people think of me? Here is your reminder though,

and it's one I need as well at times, what's best for your body is no one else's business. Simple as that. If you feel good, keep doing it. Keep doing what you're doing because no one else has to experience the benefits or the consequences other than you. You are the only one who has to live in this form. And it's what really agitates me when I see people online commenting on how other people

are taking care of themselves. You have no idea what is best for them because again, it is their business. Okay, as always, I want to share a quote that echoes this week's mantra, here's our deep thought of the day. The greatest wealth is health, and that quote is by the Roman poet Virgil. I didn't fully realize or respect this idea. It's always been floating around in my thought ecosystem and thought atmosphere,

that health is wealth, but I didn't really realize it until there was a time when someone I really loved was in a position where their health was not something they could control. I won't go into too much detail because it's their story, but because of the condition they were in and that they had, their body was almost attacking itself. I remember talking to them about it in the car one day. And they said to me, people don't realize how much I would give.

I would probably give everything not to have this anymore. And I felt almost profoundly sad, but also profoundly guilty because at that time in my life, I was really just caring about vanity and not about true well-being. I didn't really care about my actual health, and I definitely took it for granted in so many ways. He was this person who I would give anything to, and they would give anything to have the luck and privilege that I had and the privilege of health.

Also reflecting on that past experience, about where I sacrificed my health almost entirely. At that point, all the money and material wealth in the world cannot be spent and cannot be used properly if you're no longer there to use it and if your health is deteriorated. I think it's just, again, a great reminder that if you are going to invest in anything, let it be your well-being.

Now, I'd like to take a few moments for us to just pause and really sit with this mantra. This is my favorite part of the show. In just a moment, you'll hear a custom music track created to give you a space to absorb today's insights and consider how you might bring this mantra into your week and maybe even beyond. Again, if this practice isn't your style, if it doesn't resonate with you, feel free to just skip ahead 30 seconds.

But as you settle in, keep our mantra in mind. I respect my body by prioritizing its wellbeing. Let it guide your thoughts as the music plays and give yourself a moment to reflect and connect with what this mantra means to you. Beautiful. Up next, we're going to talk about how to put these insights into real action and bring this mantra to life. I'll share some journal prompts in our weekly challenge, so stick around for more after this quick break. Are you getting the rest you need? I'm Carissa, the host of Sleepwave, a meditation and story podcast that makes sleep and relaxation

easy. With soothing meditations and nostalgic stories, each episode of Sleepwave is crafted to help busy minds slow down, so you can beat insomnia and wake up feeling well-rested tomorrow. Each night I'll guide you to sleep with beautiful visualizations and calming journeys that make meditation easy, even if you've never tried it before. Try one of my favorite episodes, Get Sleepy in the Hawaiian Rainforest, where I'll lead you through using your imagination to enjoy a lush tropical vacation without ever leaving your bedroom.

Soon, bedtime will be your favorite part of the day. You can discover Sleepwave on all major podcast platforms. Simply search Sleepwave, sleep meditations, and hit follow so you can easily find the show later tonight. Sweet dreams. Welcome back. Let's explore how to bring this week's mantra to life

in meaningful ways, starting with a journal practice. If you don't have your journal handy, no worries. You can actually just simply reflect on these questions in your mind or jot them down later. But here are the three prompts that I chose today to help you dive deeper and find clarity with this mantra. First, what messages or beliefs about your body did you internalize growing up? And how do these beliefs influence your actions today? I can already think of a few, I'm sure your brain is also coming up with some. Next, how do you differentiate

between pushing your body to grow versus overworking it? Where is that line for you? And finally, what is one thing that your body has done for you recently that you haven't taken the time to appreciate? How can you acknowledge that? Okay, let's move on to our weekly challenge, which is in addition to the one I already gave you as a little bonus. This challenge is really about taking our weekly mantra to another level so that you can put what we talk about into tangible actionable steps for yourself. I also want to do some check-ins so that we can hold ourselves accountable.

Reach out to me at mantra open mind to let me know how the challenge is going. And next week we'll do a recap on how things went. I might even share a few personal stories with your permission, of course, to help encourage other listeners to participate in the challenge in the future. This is also a two-way street, so I'm going to let you know how things are going with me as well. But let's talk about our challenge.

As a reminder, our mantra last week was, I choose gratitude in every situation. I asked you all to write a gratitude letter last week was, I choose gratitude in every situation. I asked you all to write a gratitude letter last week, either to yourself or to someone in your life. And I ended up writing a gratitude letter to a past version of myself who I felt had been really instrumental in where I am now. And just saying thank you, saying, I know it must have been hard, but I appreciate that you made a sacrifice and you took

a risk when you weren't sure how it was going to work out. I'm telling you now that it did. I wrote a gratitude letter to her. I also wrote a gratitude letter to my mom. I just feel like maybe that one is quite cliche, but moms don't get enough appreciation, especially my mom. She is such a hard worker and post-holidays, I feel like I not had a chance to really speak to her and say,

thank you, and I was feeling very thankful in that moment. I wrote her a letter as well and actually ended up sending it. The first one I kept for myself, but this one I sent it to her. It was a special little bonding moment for both of us. I want to share some of the DMs we also got from listeners about last week's episode. This one's from Maria.

Is it weird if feeling like practicing gratitude doesn't come naturally to me at all? No, not weird. Not weird, especially if it's not something that you've been in the habit of. I think expressing gratitude and finding things to be grateful for throughout your day, it's a muscle that needs to be built with time and with practice. So if it's not something that is easily coming to the forefront of your mind, that's totally okay. What I would say is to continue to keep somewhat of a gratitude list of three things you're

grateful for each day. Do it either in your journal or in your notes app of your phone at the end of the day before you go to bed as a way to actually start almost prompting your brain to be more watchful and be more observant for things in your life that are making you feel great. This one is from Mika, what's an easy way to remind myself to be grateful when I'm spiraling? So this one might sound strange, but I would say go into your phone and find things that make you happy. Find pictures of things or videos or whatever it is that at some point,

you have smiled while taking and realize of realise that those memories and those moments that were so special at the time, there will be a version of them that will happen again. You will be in that headspace again. It might not feel like that now, but the only thing promised in life is change. So if you are spiralling, if you're feeling like this bad state of mind and this negative moment is always going to last, give yourself the proof that it hasn't always been this way,

so it won't always be this way into the future. This week, I want you to set a physical boundary. Identify one activity or habit that drains your energy and commit to saying no to it for a week. So it could be vaping, it could be drinking on weeknights, it could be going on your phone as soon as you wake up. That's the one I'm going to be choosing. Use that time to do something else restorative for your body, like stretching, taking a walk, simply resting, waking up, and walking to the bathroom and having breakfast before you just pour information into your brain. I think that you're going to notice a real difference.

And as a reminder, reach out on Mantra Open Mind to share how this challenge is working for you. reach out on Mantra Open Mind to share how this challenge is working for you. All right, as we wrap up this week's episode, I want to share a few final thoughts about this week's mantra, I respect my body by prioritizing its well-being. I think my biggest takeaway that I hope you take with you is that looking after your body and taking care of your health is an individual journey and comes with a lot of individual choice. So there is no one way to do it. There is no one way that is going to ensure you success or ensure that you're going to feel better. But I think getting back to the basics of what it means to be

a well human and what it means to be connected with what your body needs are essential. Prioritize good food, hydration, sleep, connection, movement. Prioritize it for a week and see what happens. I think there has been a real disconnection between us and what it feels to really be in our body. But if you make it a ritual to show respect to your body as a way of prioritizing your

wellbeing, if you incorporate it in the small moments in your day, I do think you start seeing big differences. And just remember, whatever works for you is best. There is no one way of doing this. Don't listen to the people who are trying to sell you extremes. The secret to health and wellness very much just lies in getting back to what makes you human and what would make the human part of you feel amazing.

Your body is the one home that you are going to live in for your entire life. So respecting it is an act of love and gratitude. And when you prioritize its well-being, it definitely loves you back. And you're also creating a foundation for everything else that you want to achieve. So let this mantra remind you that every small intentional choice is a step towards honoring the incredible gift of your physical form. Thank you for joining Mantra, an exclusive Open Mind original powered by Pave Studios.

At Open Mind, we value your support, so share your thoughts on social media, and remember to rate, review, and follow Mantra to help others discover the show. For ad-free listening and early access to Mantra with me, Gemma Spegg, we invite you to subscribe to Open Mind Plus on Apple Podcasts. I will share another insightful and introspective Mantra with you next Monday. Until then, keep showing up for yourself and your journey. I'm Gemma Spegg. See you next week. Mantra is hosted by me, Gemma Spegg, and is an Open Mind Original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Mantra team, Max Cutler, Kristen Acevedo, Ron Shapiro, Stacey Warenker, Sarah Carroll, and Paul Lieberskind. Thank you for listening.