How to step out of negative body thoughts
One of the topics I talk about A LOT, is dealing with negative thoughts about your body.
I like to share different techniques for dealing with negative thinking, as not every technique works equally well for everyone.
It’s a case of trying things to see what works best for YOU.
Today I’m sharing a technique that will allow you to step OUTSIDE of your negative body thoughts.
When you’re having a thought, it’s all too easy to conclude it is the TRUTH because it comes from you.
BUT, this technique will help you to distance yourself from the thought and see it for what it is… just a thought!
Watch or read below:
Your inner critic at work
When you experience negative thoughts about your body, you might hear something like:
“I need to lose weight”
“I’m gross and unattractive.”
“I’m so out of shape.”
These thoughts come from your inner critic – the internal voice that’s part of your brain’s survival mechanism.
Your inner critic has a ‘negativity bias’, and will pipe up whenever it perceives there’s a threat to your safety.
I talk more about this survival mechanism, in Episode #18 of Body Confident Friday – Thoughts aren’t reality, which you might find it useful to check out.
Because the negative body thoughts come from within you, you don’t question them, taking them at face value.
Stepping outside your thoughts
If you’re actively working to improve your body confidence, you know what a big impact this kind of negative thinking can have on the way you feel about your body.
BUT there is a very simple and effective technique to help you step out of the thought.
The next time you think something like, “I am gross and unattractive”, notice the thought and consciously re-phrase the thought to:
“I am having the thought that I am gross and unattractive.”
While the inner critic’s voice implies that the thought is a reality, this powerful re-frame removes that certainty.
This technique will help you realise that you are just having a thought, but you are NOT that thought.
Removing yourself from the negative thought in this way can improve your body image, so give it a try.
I’d love to know what results you experience from stepping out of your negative body thoughts. Please leave a comment below.
What a great technique Judi; very helpful. I am very fortunate not to have negative body talk. I am happy with my body and all it does for me. However I sometimes think my nose is too big; now I will say “I’m having the thought that my nose is big. But having a bigger nose makes all the difference – at least it is working and it does everything it needs to do.”