Our brains are our best friend and also our worst enemy. So often the little voice in our head is the deciding factor between our success and failure. Whether we feel good about our bodies or we feel the need to hide away in a puddle of shame. The power and impact our own thoughts can have on our lives is incredible. I am drawing this idea into my current MA project on body image as I develop a body positive workshop.
How Our Brains Work
Imagine those little voices are little people – think of the film Inside Out. Every time you think “My tummy is fat and ugly” or some other self-deprecating thought, your little voices stomp along the neural pathway that they have made for that thought. Every time you think it, the path gets a little more well trodden and the thought gets stronger. And the stronger the path gets, the worse you feel about yourself.
The great news is though that this is all happening in your brain. These are your little voices and you are actually in charge of what they are saying! You don’t have to feel more and more down, as they trample the “My tummy is fat and ugly” path. Take and stand and make them carve a new path!
Being Positive
The new path will say something like “So what if my tummy isn’t as flat as it used to be. I am fit and healthy and loved, and I have my beautiful children.” It will be a thought that is designed to make you feel good about yourself.
The new path way is longer and not as clear and easy to follow as the old one. To begin with the little voices will want to ignore it and go down the negative path. But if you are firm with them, they will take the new route. Then the more they take it, and the more you make yourself think these new positive thoughts, the stronger the path will get. And the easier it will be to feel good about yourself!
We Have the Power!
Harnessing this power to change our perspective could be life changing. It is like a secret super power waiting to be woken inside us all!
Body Positive Workshop
I have been experimenting with combining these ideas with photography. Rachel and Gemma came for one to one sessions recently and both described the experience as liberating! Now I am developing an interactive body positive workshop. My next event will be on the 2nd of December and I am looking for three volunteers who are ready to feel better about themselves. The workshop will be fun, interactive, creative and the best bit is, you will be in control of everything you create. Please PM me on Facebook if you are interested.
