This post was submitted by contributor Kim Ruzycki. *Before I hand this off to contributor Kim Ruzycki, I want to say that this piece really hits home especially as someone working in the entertainment industry. The media has a huge impact on the way we think and feel about ourselves. I think that this piece will help us all feel a little bit more at peace. Enjoy!* ~ Saverina ~ What was the last thing you said to yourself about yourself?
Was it "I am looking so gorgeous today"? Or maybe "My legs look really great..." How about "My body is so amazing!" No? Hmmm. Was it possibly a bit more negative??? How you talk to yourself and your opinion of yourself truly affects how you think, feel and act. I know it seems like such a small thing but it honestly makes a huge difference. Being kind with your self talk and giving yourself love will result in being more confident, believing in yourself and less of a need for outside approval. Now don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not perfect in this area. I definitely don't wake up singing that my thighs are looking thin and beautiful! That is part of the reason for this post - this is something I know I need to work on and talking about it hopefully helps us both! Your actions stem from beliefs. Your habits stem from actions. Your daily life stems from habits. A touch deep, yes - but it makes sense. If you are internally putting yourself down you will start to believe it and your actions will reflect your feelings about yourself. Talking to yourself positively and with kindness will result in healthier actions and habits. So how can you change your self talk? Here are a few steps to get you started... TAKE NOTICE. Self-talk is very natural. You may not be aware of what you’ve been saying to yourself all these years! Start to really pay attention and be conscious of your internal commentary about yourself and how it makes you feel. MAKE A CHANGE. Just because you are saying something to yourself, does not mean its true. Start to dispute your negative self-talk and challenge any harsh criticism by telling yourself that it is untrue. For example; Indulging in one unhealthy meal does not make you an unhealthy person. You don’t always have to always be super positive about everything but you do need to stop any negativity. Think about how you would talk to your 8 year old self - try to talk to your adult self in the same manner – be kind, truthful and supportive. BE CONSISTENT. Your negative self-talk didn’t happen overnight. There is a good chance you have been telling yourself the same messages, over and over until you eventually accepted them as true. That is the power of consistency. Now is the time to change that consistency for the better! We need to hear a message multiple times before we accept it. Instead of any negative messages you have been feeding yourself, choose a kinder, more supportive message. For example – instead of “I’m so mad at myself for eating all those chips. I have no willpower. I’m unhealthy and never going to lose weight.” Try, “Those chips were delicious and I enjoyed them. I will make an effort to eat a fresh healthy dinner tonight and stay on track with my healthy weight loss goals.” Remember – your body hears everything your mind says… Daily Practice Write down one thing you love about yourself in the morning. Write it in your journal, on a sticky note on the fridge or in lipstick on your bathroom mirror. Whenever you catch yourself in negative self talk, stop, take a deep breath, smile and bring your thoughts to the thing you love about yourself that you wrote down that morning. Practice this every day for 3 months and notice how your self talk and internal beliefs start to change and in turn how your actions and habits also change. Your inner dialogue will grow wiser with practice and your self talk will become more positive and kind. I would love to hear from you! Have you made a change to your self talk? How do you keep yourself positive? Let me know in the comments below and check out Picky Diet, where this post originally appeared. |
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