How to FEEL GOOD in Your Body

How often do you have a negative thought about your body?  

Is it first thing in the morning when you look in the mirror?  Stare at the clothes in your closet?  Step on the Scale?

It is no wonder that 97% of women have an “I hate my body” moment every single day…we have programmed ourselves!

We have, on average about 50,000 thoughts every single day, and research tells us that of these 50,000 thoughts, about 80% of them are negative!  AND on top of that as much as 90% of those are repeated day after day after day!  

So, with this knowledge, it is worth thinking about what it is you say to yourself about your body.  

Pause for a moment and think...What do you say to yourself when you first look in the mirror every morning?  

Is it easy to find a flaw with it right away?  Do you automatically bring judgment to the way you look first? 

Or, do you smile, say hello and take a moment to be grateful to have another day to experience this life and make more memories?

1 ONE of the quickest ways to begin to feel good in your body is to start every day being grateful for one thing about your body. It could be…

·      The unique color of your eyes

·      The strength of your legs

·      Your manicured fingernails

·      Your ability to hear the rain on the roof

·      The smoothness of your skin

·      The shape of your eyebrows

Anything counts here.  This can feel a little awkward at first, due to the fact that women are programmed not to look kindly towards themselves or their bodies in fear that others will think they are arrogant or narcissistic.

BUT, by starting the day noticing something that you like, or something you are grateful for about yourself, you set yourself up for noticing more beauty throughout the day ahead.  Just as if you started your day judging yourself, feeling shame, anger or frustration with your body, you set yourself up to be more judgmental of others as the day progresses.

Why not be a rebel! Begin your day by noticing the wonder of your body and all that it can do: hug, walk, watch a sunrise, listen to music, taste a piece of chocolate, sit in a Adirondack chair, stand to admire a piece of artwork, pick something up off the floor, swing on a swing or swim in the water.

By moving the focus away from what you cannot do and towards what you can do makes a big difference in the way you feel all day.  

2. Another way to feel good in your body is to wear clothes that fit and feel good on your body! 

So many women I know wake up every morning and stare into a closet of clothes that don’t fit, and from there they begin to go into an internal negative dialogue with themselves.  Feeling ashamed that they don’t look like they “should”, angry that they ate that second piece of pizza or didn’t get to the gym, frustrated that those pants from 5 years ago don’t fit anymore. 

I encourage you to clean out your closet and fill it with clothes that you feel good in, colors, fabrics and sizes that allow you to move and breathe. 

You have the ability to choose to start every morning looking at a closet of clothes that make you smile (setting you up to smile more during your day) VS looking at a closet day after day feeling bad about yourself, beating yourself up or even full of shame and hatred of yourself. 

·      You can box some clothes up, bring them to a consignment shop, put them out of site or give them to a shelter for someone else who may need them, to enjoy.

Wearing clothes that feel comfortable on your body is a great way to take care of yourself, an important self-care technique that can also help decrease stress and increase happiness.

3.  Lastly, another way to help you feel good in your body is to let go of all sources of comparison. 

Comparison of friends, family, social media feeds, cultural & societal norms and even younger versions of yourself.  

Here is how…

·      Unsubscribe to social media feeds that make you feel “less than” or not “good enough”

·      Find feeds that make you feel empowered and confident in how you look, check out Shaping Perspectives!

o   Shaping Perspectives...A Woman's Way to Joy

·      Notice when you begin to compare yourself to others...You are the only you.  Only you have your unique genetics.  Comparing yourself to another is like comparing apples to oranges

o   Start to appreciate your unique genetic type, tall, short, narrow hips, wide hips, voluptuous torso, thick thighs, small feet (you get the idea)

Research tells us that comparing yourself to others will decrease your own self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth and overall body image. 

Feeling comfortable and appreciating the body that you have today can decrease stress, increase joy and will lead to a life full of more confidence and happiness

Shaping Your Perspective on Change

Shaping your Perspective on Change

I am ready…Things are not as they appear. Change is in the fall air again in my life and I find myself pausing…

I am determined to accept this change for what it is.  Knowing in my heart it is time to re-group and re-focus.  To roll with this change by understanding and feeling the emotions and noticing the thoughts and the feelings that go along with it, without judgement. 

I have not always handled change very well... 

My whole life has been wrapped up in the physical.  Gym was my favorite class in elementary school it was a place where I was comfortable and successful…for a while anyway…

But, as I moved from elementary school to high school though I encountered others who were much more skilled than I, and was forced into a “uniform” where my identity was thrown.  I now hated gym.  Hated my body, and was no longer comfortable in the only place where I felt confident.  A harsh change in my identity.  Who was I?  

It was here when I decided to take control of the one thing I knew how to...my body.  I would diet, exercise and isolate from others. I found control and comfort in my rules and rituals…Diet and exercise became my “go to” behavior.  I became very good at it too and because of this, I studied and spent over 30 years in what I thought was my life’s purpose; group exercise and fitness training. 

Change was in the fall air 2 years ago, when I decided to shift my vision, and I moved into a new amazing career working with women who struggle with their relationship with food, mind and/or body.  I thought I had found my dream job (as Program Director) at Green Mountain at Fox Run, only to realize…It was just a chapter in my story…

So here I am again, in the fall season, as the leaves turn bright red and orange, moving into a change in my life, moving into a new chapter.  

I am venturing into the arena of self-employment.  Counting on myself, and sharing my story.

From all the lessons I have learned, I am realizing that life is to be lived from the heart.  Passions are to be pursued, happiness is to be had.  Impact is to be made, knowledge is to be shared.   I no longer care about the outcome, I care about discovering, about new beginnings, about learning, even if I fail.  I am excited to try.

Enter this chapter, the one where our company Shaping Perspectives…A Woman’s Way to Joy! Has been formed. This is a place where there is support, care, knowledge, experience and coaching of women who are tired of fighting the war on weight, food and body.  If you would like to learn more or want to make a change, please check us out on our Facebook page or join us at one of our Women's Wellness Weekends...

I believe we move through life in a distinct order, at a precise time.  The people in our paths help support and guide us, and there are people who appear in our lives who we help and guide as well.  I recognize the changes I have made, the lessons I have learned and I feel love for my present chapter. 

Changes are a way of life, I wish you a smooth transition into your season of change.

Click here to pick up your free YOU ARE ENOUGH Finally, Free, Fit and Fabulous 5 step guide to peace with food, eating, weight and body image.