About this quote

We often look at paintings or sculptures in museums with awe, yet we ignore the physical shell we inhabit every single day. Think about how your lungs draw breath without you asking, or how your skin heals itself after a scratch. Why do you judge your appearance so harshly when your physical form is actually a masterpiece of biological engineering? Shift your focus away from superficial flaws and appreciate the sheer functionality of your flesh and bone. Treat your physical self with the same respect you would show a masterpiece.

When to use it

• You are staring in the bathroom mirror, criticizing every stretch mark and soft spot before a pool party, but you pause to appreciate what your physical form actually does for you.
• A physical therapist helps a patient take their first steps after a major knee reconstruction and uses these words to help them appreciate the body's natural healing power.
• An art student struggles to capture the complexity of a model's hands during a life drawing class, using this idea to regain focus on the beauty of natural anatomy.
• After pulling an all-nighter at a desk job, you step outside to stretch and feel the sun on your skin, realizing you need to care for your physical self instead of treating it like an expendable machine.