Is a negative body image dominating your thoughts?
Is your self-esteem suffering as a result?
Having a negative body image makes you weak mood disorder and eating disorders.
Disliking your body can make relationships more difficult or motivate you to hurt yourself.
These destructive mental habits plague many people, but you can turn them around with body-positive affirmations.
Repeating supporting statement Being aware of your body every day will help you avoid the disease of body negativity.
The best way to use body image affirmations
Affirmations for body image are short, spoken statements to align your thoughts with the physical and mental changes you want to achieve. With body positivity, you focus on beliefs about the wonders of your body rather than flaws.
Best practices for effective use of body image affirmations include the following:
- Say or write them in a journal as soon as you wake up.
- Take a deep breath before and after each statement.
- Touch your body while talking to physically reinforce the feeling.
- Speak in a clear and confident voice.
- Repeat your affirmation for about five minutes.
- Set aside one or two more times a day to say your affirmations.
- Don’t forget to repeat your affirmations before going to bed.
- Stick to your routine as much as possible.
Most people prefer a private place to recite affirmations, such as a bedroom or bathroom. Looking in the mirror as you say it can help the message sink deeper into your subconscious.
While away from home, you may find your car a good place to say your affirmations.
Remember that you can rely on your positive body affirmations when you feel negative thoughts creeping in.
If something makes you feel inadequate about your body, find a quiet place and say your affirmation as soon as possible.
Are affirmations effective in overcoming negative thought patterns?
Affirmations of all kinds are powerful tools that help people overcome negative thoughts and doubts.
These aren’t necessarily a simple cure for your personal challenges, but you can be successful when you employ the right strategies and approach affirmations as a tool to support action.
Psychologist Lauren Alexander, Ph.D., a Cleveland ClinicAdvises people to recognize that their lives inevitably include difficulties.
For affirmations to help, you can’t completely deny a problem and positive thoughts can’t be disconnected from reality. An affirmation can identify your discomfort or anxiety and help you feel okay with yourself.
They can be most effective when you acknowledge what is bothering you and then choose to rid yourself of the negativity.
Here are some steps to get the most out of your body positive affirmations:
- Identify specific physical characteristics that undermine your self-esteem.
- Address these features directly in your affirmations.
- Set aside your doubts about the process.
- Write down your affirmations and leave them where you can see them.
- Use your phone’s calendar to remind you to speak your affirmations
- Take positive action regarding your affirmation.
Following your affirmations with action is critical to success. In terms of body positivity, an affirmative action might be wearing an outfit you wouldn’t have worn before or applying for a job you never had the confidence to ask for before.
Does positive affirmation help body image?
Positive affirmations may actually support improved body image by shifting the basis of self-esteem from body weight and shape to other personal qualities, particularly among adolescent girls.
“A study published inJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry” showed that girls who engaged in self-affirming activities reported greater body satisfaction and felt less threatened when evaluating their bodies compared to a control group.
This suggests that self-affirmation may be an effective component of interventions aimed at improving body image by diversifying the sources of self-esteem.
59 Positive Body Image Affirmation
This list of affirmations, or body-positive mantras, provides a great starting point. Choose the ones that resonate with you, and feel free to change them to meet your needs.
1. My body has many great qualities.
2. A whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Every part of my body contributes to my whole.
3. I am kind to my body because it keeps me alive.
4. I admit that parts of my body bother me, but I decide to be content anyway.
5. I can enjoy life more if I realize that people are not judging me as harshly as I think.
6. I take care of my body by eating healthy food. I feel how good nutrition helps me stay healthy.
7. I look in the mirror and see a good person who has a lot to offer the world.
8. Images are staged on social media. The perfection I compare myself to is an illusion.
9. I take care of myself today because my health is my most incredible asset.
10. I choose to recover from mistakes and move forward with greater knowledge.
11. I am traveling with my body, and I want to enjoy the journey.
12. I value myself and allow myself to follow my dreams.
13. I judge myself by my actions and not how I look.
14. I breathe deeply and feel the oxygen bring life to my body. This breath alone is enough to amaze me.
15. I respect my needs and give equal weight to the needs of other people.
16. I am in control. I like to exercise and limit junk food because I love my body and my health.
17. I hug myself and tell myself that I am worthy of friendship and affection.
18. My weight does not dictate my happiness.
19. Food is not an enemy. I need it to nourish and survive every cell in my body.
20. Every day is precious. I leave the past and welcome today.
21. Aging is a natural part of being alive and is better than the alternative.
22. I am my own cheerleader. No one else is responsible for making me happy.
23. I am a unique person. Without me, the world would be a little less special.
24. I admire how my thighs are strong and my legs move.
25. I console myself when I fail because tomorrow is another chance to succeed.
26. I like to live with my insecurities because everyone has them.
27. I accept compliments graciously. I welcome such kindness rather than have to be self-deprecating.
28. I believe that I am lovable and some people think that I am good looking.
29. I respect myself and expect others to treat me with dignity.
30. My intuition comes from within my body. I will listen to my body’s wisdom and act on it.
31. I appreciate how my body has survived so many challenges.
32. I allow my beautiful inner self to be revealed to the outer world.
33. I understand that my body has limitations, but I still embrace what I do i am able to
34. I am a whole person whose thoughts and feelings matter.
35. Not everyone will like me. I only seek approval from those who matter to me.
36. I invest in my well-being. Spending too much time worrying about how I look detracts from my enjoyment of life.
37. I silence the overly critical voice in my head. This thought does not serve me.
38. No one has a perfect body. I aspire to have a “good enough” body that gets me through life.
39. I don’t look perfect. Life is not perfect. I made the best thing anyway.
40. I know that I have health problems, but I forgive my body.
41. I can be attractive even if I don’t look the way I want.
42. I treat my body with respect because it is my only body.
43. I give myself permission to not care what anyone else thinks about me.
44. By loving myself first, I invite others to love me.
45. I appreciate what I have. Even if I look perfect, it won’t last.
46. I am conscious of my food choices.
47. I give my energy to things that will improve my day.
48. I encourage the healing energy within my body to come to the surface.
49. Regardless of my condition, I respect my body and expect others to respect my body as well.
50. My unconditional love for myself motivates me to behave rightly.
51. Self-esteem is a priority. I won’t let my body stop me from feeling good about myself.
52. My body is always here for me.
53. I find that life is better when I look beyond my physical appearance.
54. My body is safe for me.
55. My body is a source of joy.
56. I let go of those times in my past when people hurt my feelings with cruel comments.
57. I forgive myself for the years I spent criticizing myself.
58. I can learn to do new things with my body.
59. I am open to loving my body.
At first you may have difficulty giving voice to body-positive affirmations.
Trying to override your negative thoughts can be emotionally intense, but your feelings should include a great sense of release. What will you do today to improve your positive body image?
