Your body is listening all the time. This is a phrase I commonly heard but rarely put any notice to. However, lately I experienced how this is very true.
I was listening to some music while walking and sad, slow music hit my brain. Immediately my mood changed to a saddened mode. After a while I decided to put something more energetic and without even putting any effort my mood started to improve once again. This is where I realized that our brains are like sponges to what is being inserted in them even through the most subtle ways.
If a random song can effect our way of thinking, imagine the way we talk to our body what higher power it has on us. If we talk negatively about ourselves, our body starts to make those assumptions and judgemental thoughts a part of its reality. This is where we have to be very careful on how we talk to ourselves.
It might be a simple thought or phrase or an action we do to ourselves that could change our point of view for a long time and affect our self esteem.
Talk to yourself gently, avoid harsh comments . . .
After all if you meet up with a friend or an acquaintance and he/she says loudly that same comment you are repeating silently to yourself, most probably you would feel hurt, do not like that person anymore or even hold a grudge. So why do you do the same thing to yourself? Change the way you talk to yourself and how you think about yourself. For example, do not tell yourself: “ I am fat ” but instead replace with “I have some extra fat I need to get rid of to feel better and healthier ” Firstly, you are not made up of just fat so saying “I am fat” is completely incorrect. Fat is just an aspect within your entire body. Secondly add a positive reason as to why you wish for that change.
Do not punish yourself because of things that surround you. . .
If you try on a dress and it is nothing like you imagined it would fit, just change the dress and move on. Do not blame your body because the dress did not fit the way you imagined. After all, if a pair of shoes does not fit well, we don’t really put much blame on the shoes but we just move on and find a better pair. The dress needs to accommodate your body. Your body shouldn’t be adjusted to a particular dress. Even the best top models have dresses which do not look good on them.
Do not buy clothes which don’t fit well. . .
Another common action which destroys our self-esteem is that of buying something which does not fit so that one day it might fit. That garment is putting negative thoughts in your mind each time you open your wardrobe. Instead of giving you the push you were hoping for, it would most probably create anger and discouragement. Most probably you feel tempted to try it on when you feel less good about yourself. If it does not fit as you were hoping for or worse if you are, let’s say bloated, and it fits worse than previous times, that garment will oppress you even more.
The garment you thought will give you that extra push might even end up triggering you to binge eating or drinking instead of getting you on track as you were hoping for. Instead celebrate your goals by buying gifts for yourself which you can immediately enjoy. Getting a complement or liking what you are seeing in the mirror is what allows you to make progress.
Do not panic if you could not handle a situation. . .
If at times you feel a situation or an experience is out of your hand, don’t quit by just saying to yourself that it is too much for you. Instead stop, breathe and divide your situation into smaller steps. Achieve one goal at a time and celebrate it. You might end up completing what you thought was impossible or at least do a huge part of it and learn from your mistakes. Quitting will only make you have regrets in the future.
Do not feed your ego. . .
Never punish yourself if you fail in doing something you thought you would excel in. Instead of feeding your ego and never try again, be humble enough to accept your defeats, plan again and try as many times as needed. Defeats are a part of life that make us stronger. After all, even a boiled egg had to go through hot water to become harder from the inside.
Our bodies absorb all signals which we indirectly put into them. Changing a negative mindset needs time. However, even the smallest steps can affect your entire well being. It is vital to teach our young ones to be gentle and proud of themselves. Teach them to talk to themselves with pride.
Start by encouraging yourself to say something beautiful about yourself to yourself every single day before you go to sleep and end up your day with a grateful heart. We are like a box of colouring pencils, all completely different yet all equally needed for an artist to create a beautiful masterpiece.
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Loranne Briffa started her bodybuilding and fitness journey around five years ago and will be debuting as a national IFBB athlete in August 2021. She works as a Computing teacher and believes that women empowering women can help others achieve their goals. Through her writings, Loranne loves to share healthy habits and fitness tips that she learned throughout her own fitness experience.
