Why did we have to go through and analyze how much we dislike aspects of our bodies?!
I already think about this way too much, anyway!
It is helpful to gain clarity in our areas of struggle in order to acquire specific directions for improvement.
Here is where we seek and find the thoughts, situations, and behaviors that will create the most change in your life. It is one thing to be clear about the struggle. It is another to be clear on what you need to do differently.
The knowledge you have acquired is power. You need it to change.
Get out the scoring sheets you’ve used in the previous weeks.
On a sheet of paper or in your journal, write the following:
Physical characteristics I need to accept more:
I need to:___________
Negative thoughts I most need to reduce:
I need to:___________
Situations I really need to feel more comfortable with:
I need to:___________
Beliefs and behaviors I need to change so I don’t equate my looks with my worth:
I need to:___________
Ways I cope with my body image that need to change:
I need to:___________
Consequences of my body image difficulties that I especially want and need to change:
I need to:___________
As you fill in the blanks, using what you gained from the assessment, do so without censorship. This isn’t the time to consider whether or not something seems possible. If it helps, imagine you are completing these statements for someone else. Look at what’s been compiled and think, “what does this person need, in order to heal?”
Here are examples others have come up with, based on their results:
•I need to stop loathing my lower body.
•I need to be able to look in the mirror without getting upset.
•I need to spend less time trying to decide what to wear before I leave.
•I need to allow myself to have positive thoughts about my looks.
•I need to choose foods based on nutrition and preference, rather than dumb diets.
Have these by your side when you log in for group on Sunday. If you can, sharing them with the group may provide insights and inspiration.
*Body Image Evaluation, Helpsheet, Body Image Profile and the above exercise is drawn from The Body Image Workbook by Thomas F. Cash
