When I was at FNCE (the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, the annual conference for dietitians) a few years ago, I went to a seminar that had volunteers from the audience (all dietitians) get up on stage and step on a scale in front of the audience.
The first woman hopped on the scale, and it read back, “You’re Beautiful.” The next, something similar. Instead of numbers, the small screen showed uplifting messages that made the participants feel good and have a giggle.
Sure, it might be a bit gimmicky, but wouldn’t it be nice to surround ourselves with more of this kind of positive energy every day? Affirmations (statements declared to be true) work because they supplant more negative thoughts you might be harboring.
You can find some pre-written body image affirmations online (Hay House and Louise Hay are great resources), or create your own.
Here are some tips to make affirmations work effectively:
- Say them out loud at for at least a few minutes minutes, 3 times a day. Writing them in a notebook also helps to solidify the belief.
- Use powerful words, and get specific. Instead of saying “I am beautiful,” for instance, try “I have sexy curves and dark, exotic eyes.”
- Place a hand over your heart or a body part that needs love while you repeat it.
- Use a mirror to reflect the thought back to you.
Louise Hay, practically the mother of affirmations, says this about her new Love Your Body audiobook and why affirmations work: “To all the bodies on the planet, I dedicate this to you, with love. By repeating these affirmations over and over, you will be planting new seeds in the fertile soil of your subconscious mind, and they will become true for you.” I just signed up for her free audiobook; you can do the same here.
Let me know if you try them and find them helpful!
