I want to be taller, I want to be a size zero, I want curly hair, I want a six pack, longer legs, smaller nose and so the list goes on. Welcome to the world of body image. Our body image is part of our self image and when we don’t feel it is right it can be very debilitating. It attacks our confidence our thoughts our actions. It makes us doubt ourselves and scares of what others might think of us.
It can be quite a shock when your body image seems at odds with the world view. You hate your curly hair and someone compliments you on it. It seems easy right even to brush the compliment away, they are only saying it to be nice. Its all about that little voice inside us judging us and telling us what to think. You look fat, when in fact you are at a perfectly healthy weight. Being in control of this voice seems very important to good self image. If you spend some time listening to the voice is it critical all the time or supportive. You trip in the street: You might think “that was stupid, I’m so clumsy”, or perhaps more positively “oops what a mistake to make, bit embarrassing, I won’t do that again.”. Perhaps your voice amplifies the negatives in other peoples opinions. Someone says “Where did you get that dress, its really you”. Clearly this can be said in a cynical way or in a complementing way, but which does that internal voice echo.
Its hard not to listen to that voice, but you can be in control. Try to deflect outside critisms. So what if they don’t like the dres – I like it and I’m going to enjoy the evening. Or okay so this hasn’t worked but at least I gave it my best shot. See how you can turn that internal voice round so that it supports rather than critisies.
You are not going to be successful all at once it will take time after all think how long its taken to get your internal voice to be the way it is today. But each time you correct it you are developing a habit a habit of valuing yourself not of judging yourself and as time goes on you will get better and better, till you are supporting yourself and not worrying about what the world sees.