BODY CONFIDENCE
Our brains tend to believe that when we finally lose the weight, finish that big race, or perhaps get a 100 likes on that selfie we posted… we will finally feel beautiful.
We will finally feel CONFIDENT about the way we look.
And our brains might also believe that there is an ACTUAL POINT - a certain weight or a goal – which when we finally reach, our emotions will then officially switch over from perhaps feeling insecure about our bodies, to full-blown, never receding CONFIDENCE!
But of course, there is no such point…
Or even a magic number on a scale.
Or a race that will prove that your body is amazing.
Or even a pageant that will finally make you believe that you ARE officially beautiful.
Because how it ACTUALLY works is a funny thing…
Because I can be sitting here in my pajamas typing this, feeling awesome about my body, while a beauty pageant winner, with a fresh crown on her head, could very well be feeling insecure while she is thinking – this is a mistake, I don’t deserve this.
And that’s because our emotions NEVER come from anything OUTSIDE of us – a trophy, a crown, a number on a scale, or even a billion OMGs.
Instead, what BODY CONFIDENCE boils down to…
IS JUST AWESOME THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR BODIES.
Awesome thoughts - that we ACTUALLY believe.
That’s it.
And so it matters not one bit, what SIZE this body is, how FIRM it is, or even how YOUNG or OLD it is.
Just the QUALITY of the thoughts we think.
So let’s say that I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror…
My brain might then immediately offer up a lovely thought to think.
Let’s go with the classic: “I don’t look good.”
That one thought will most likely release other thoughts…
I shouldn’t have eaten those pastries last night. Why didn’t I wake up early to exercise? I’m so lazy. What is wrong with me?!
And then all of those sentences will generate my FEELING…
Perhaps I feel disappointed in myself. Possibly even feel shame.
And shame usually wants us to hide…. so I might then go up to my room and watch Netflix. And for good measure, grab another pastry on my way.
We tend to think that we have to be more disciplined in our EATING + EXERCISING – in order to feel great in our bodies.
But instead, we have to be WAY more disciplined
IN OUR THINKING.
Because your brain will offer up all kinds of judgmental thoughts – all day every day.
But you don’t have to BELIEVE or GO ALONG with any one of them.
The reason you might automatically do is because you think that it will somehow motivate you to get on that exercise bike.
But more often than not, it’ll just plop you down on the couch, right next to the remote control.
Because it’s a SLOG trying to work out from insecurity, shame, or disappointment…
SO YOUR DAUGHTER needs to learn how NOT to spiral out with judgmental thoughts that her brain might offer up…
Because no matter what, her thoughts are ALWAYS optional.
And she can learn to just let them go, or choose powerful new ones
- that fuel her CONFIDENCE, MOTIVATION or STRENGTH -
whenever she would like.
