Your mind is your most powerful tool
Think back to when you woke up this morning. You got out of bed, took a shower, got dressed. Along the way, did any thoughts like these pop into your head?
'If I could look better. I’d be much happier.'
'If people knew how I really look, they’d like me less.'
'Thin people have it all.'
These assumptions happen to the best of us, but this 'tough love' isn’t actually love.
Thoughts lead to feelings that lead to actions. Looking at yourself in the mirror might trigger the THOUGHT 'I hate the way I look,' which makes you FEEL sad, disappointed, and/or frustrated, which leads you to ACT in search of comfort-possibly in the form of leftover pizza.
You can interrupt — or even break — the cycle by paying attention to your thoughts. That simple step can change how you feel, which can change what you do.16 The next time you find yourself thinking an unhelpful thought, stop, take a breath, and ask yourself if what you’re thinking is really true. Then take a moment to replace that thought with a more realistic — and helpful— one.