my body image
Yesterday was the final day of Body Image Awareness week and I want to keep it real…
personal post
The journey to body appreciation is not a linear one. While we can go through phases where we really value our bodies for what they can do, sometimes old thoughts can resurface.
Over the weekend I found myself in a couple of situations where I received compliments based on my physical appearance. I smiled along but I felt a real physical discomfort when the comments were made. The reason I think I felt so uncomfortable was because last week I was struggling with my body image.
It was the first time in a while that I caught my negative inner critic (Edna) saying unkind things about my physical appearance. She was nit-picking and criticising me a lot.
I know so much about body image and how we can shift our mindset from what our bodies physically look like to appreciating what our bodies do for us every day. Even with all that knowledge, I still struggle from time to time.
It took a couple of days, a lot of affirmations, and some rest for me to move forward and away from those negative thoughts. I never want to profess that I have it all ‘worked out’ and that I appreciate my body every day, that just isn’t true. What is true is that I try REALLY REALLY hard to!
A tool that is useful to work through those challenging thoughts, is to put a photo of yourself as a child on the mirror (learn more here). Every time you say something negative to yourself, the photo is a reminder that your inner child is listening. We would never speak as harshly to them.
This post is a reminder to be kind to yourself but also to practice self-compassion. It is normal for our thoughts and feelings about our bodies to ebb and flow. Sit with the discomfort and then take active steps to move away from those thoughts that may not be serving you.
If you would like support, you can contact The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 ED HOPE
