DON’T COMPARE
When we compare ourselves to others we always lose. The realities of our looks and theirs don’t even matter.
When we look at others, we see how perfect they are. When we look at ourselves, we see how imperfect we are. We feel we can never measure up, no matter what. By avoiding comparisons to others, we save ourselves a lot of grief and hard work towards making our bodies the best it can be.
FOCUS ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Try and focus on positive traits. Are you loving, kind, and considerate? Do you visit your grandmother regularly? Do you get good grades? Are you a wonderful mother or spouse? Are you known for the fun parties you throw? Can you draw? We all have talents and attributes that make us wonderful human beings. S0, what if you aren’t a certain size, making a difference in the world is what really matters.
LEARN TO TAKE A COMPLIMENT
Practice saying “thank you” when someone gives you a compliment. Don’t over analyze it, or judge the giver, or make light of it, instead, let it soak in and allow yourself to feel good.
SELF-TALK
Listen to the chatter that goes on in your head. Are you saying nice things to yourself? Many of us go around with a negative tape recorder playing in our heads all day. When we stop, listen, we hear things like “why did you do that?” or “I can’t believe you actually said that?” Replace these negative thoughts with praise, such as, “what a good idea; that was a good way of handling the situation or that was a real accomplishment; I’m so proud of you!” Reframe your negative thoughts into positives. By shifting from words of criticism to words of praise, you begin to change your life. Even if you don’t always believe what you’re telling yourself, the more you talk to yourself with love, the more you believe it.
AFFIRMATIONS
A long with self-talk, giving yourself positive affirmations is a powerful way to change the way you feel about your body. Find a part of your body that you like and accept, even if it is your eyes, hair, or smile. Write an affirmation about it.. For instance, “ I love the way my eyes sparkle.” Look at yourself in the mirror every morning and repeat this to yourself. Even if you have to fake it until you make it. After a few weeks, move on to another affirmation.
LEARN TO COMPLIMENT OTHERS
By learning to acknowledge the good in others, you can learn to notice the good in yourself.
FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES
Hating your body can become a bad habit. All our negative feelings are transferred to the body. Instead of dealing with the problems that create negative feelings, we just shove those feelings deep inside our body and end up hating it more and more. Learning to focus on the positives gives you a whole new perspective. It allows you to see the world half-full instead of half-empty. Focus on the good in your life. Admire the beauty of a sunset, walk along the water, stop and smell the roses. Begin to focus on your body. See the good in it. It gets where you are going. It is a faithful companion.
STOP FANTASY THINKING
Do you ever hear yourself saying, “I’d just love to lose x pounds. I’d be happy.” Stop those thoughts NOW. Your body is not the reason you are miserable. It is likely the otherway around, Get on with life. Be loving, and you will attract loving people.
BODY MOVEMENT
The body was designed to move. To walk or run or jump or dance are normal activities. By reconnecting yourself with your body, you might be amazed at how incredible it really is. Yoga is a great way to reconnect with your body. It is noncompetitive, gentle, stretching program that will relax you and make your body feel wonderful. If you do not want a structured program and hate the gym, go for a walk. Experience how your body feels on your walks. Be aware of your breathing. Do not force yourself to exercise; allow yourself the opportunity to move.
BEFORE YOU LOOK INTO THE MIRROR; THINK OPTIMISTICALLY
When you start your day, decide how you are feeling before looking into the mirror. Every morning when you wake up, THANK YOUR BODY for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day, and every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you enjoy and appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.
CUT LABELS OUT OF YOUR CLOTHES
The size on the tags should NOT dictate your mood for the day.
STAY AWAY FROM THE SCALE
As a matter of fact, get off it! If your weight needs to be monitored, leave that up to the doctors. How much you weigh should never affect your self-esteem or your sense of who you are. Don’t let a SIMPLE number have the power over you. You are so much more than what shows up on an empty scale.
REMIND YOURSELF THAT LOOKING HEALTH IS SOMETHING POSITIVE
It means that you are well rested, eating right and nurturing your soul. It means no more than that, and no less than that.
THINK back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.
CHOOSE to find beauty in the world and in yourself
START saying to yourself, Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way.
WEAR CLOTHES THAT ARE COMFORTABLE
And make you feel good about your body and know you appreciate it. Take a bubble bath, make the time for a nap, find a peaceful place outside and relax.
TRY TO LOOK AT YOUR BODY AS A GIFT from your parents or from God.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE
It is easier to feel good about yourself and your body when you are around others who are supportive and who recognize the importance of liking yourself just as you naturally are. Also be aware of how your attitude about your body, food, and exercise influences those around you. Treat and talk about your body with love, care, and respect.
SUPPORT
The struggle to heal negative body image is an ongoing battle. It is often wise to seek professional help of a therapist and dietitian. There are also self-help groups available for no charge as well as many books and articles that have been written on the subject of food and body image. Talk to a trusted friend or relative. All of us need support. It is extremely hard in our culture to have a healthy, positive, body image. You need and deserve support.
LIST TEN THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR APPEARANCE
You’re a person, not just a body. It helps to think what’s important to me-my family, my friends, and God. I remind myself my relationships, my family, my friends love me because of who I am, not because I wear a certain size or weigh a certain number.
HOW DO YOU RELATE TO YOUR BODY?
See your body in your mind?
Describe your body to others?
Talk about your body to yourself?
Feel about your body?
Treat your body?
Each of these ways of relating to your body affects the others, they are inner-connected. That might sound overwhelming, but it is actually good news-changes in one area will lead to changes in others. For example, if you begin to change how you describe your body, you will start to think differently about your body, and this will affect how you feel about your body, or if you start to change how you treat your body, it will change how you feel and think about your body.
BE AWARE OF HOW YOU RELATE TO YOUR BODY
One way to start changing your body image is to become aware of how you think, see, describe, and treat your body, and how you feel about your body. Choose one of these components of body image to work on and focus your attention on it. For example, if you think about your body in a negative way, become aware of when you have those thoughts. Begin by simply noticing them. Pay attention to how often they occur, when they occur, and what you say to yourself. See if there’s a pattern. Recognizing a pattern can help you be aware of things or situations that feed you shame or hatred about your body. For example, some people think more negative thoughts about their bodies when they are feeling anxious or nervous. If that’s true for you, you may want to think about what you can do to help yourself feel more calm and safe, such as acknowledge how you feel, say something reassuring to yourself, and take a few deep breaths. By working on your anxiety, you may find that you feel better and aren’t thinking as many negative thoughts about your body.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR BODY DOES
- Keeps me alive
- Gives me a place to live
- Have never left or abandoned me
- Has survived and continues to renew, heal and sustain itself
ALLOWS ME TO
- Hug people I love
- Dance
- Do yoga
- Swim
- Write
- Read
- Feel
- Talk
- Sing
- Drive
- Smile
- Laugh
- Jump
- Draw, color, paint
- Ride my bike
- Walk or Run
- Learn
- Visit other countries and admire the culture
- Splash in the waves of the ocean
- Take a long shower
- Play with my dog
- See the beauty that surrounds me.
- Live
I appreciate what my body does for me. I need my body to do things, accomplish things, go places. I need my body to be healthy so I can live.
PERSONAL QUALITIES NOT MEASURED BY TESTS
- Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Resilience
- Motivation
- Persistence
- Curiosity
- Question Asking
- Humor
- Endurance
- Reliability
- Enthusiasm
- Civic-Mindedness
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Discipline
- Empathy
- Leadership
- Compassion
- Courage
- Sense of beauty
- Sense of wonder
- Resourcefulness
- Spontaneity
- Humility
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