I’ve read so many self-help and business books that I’ve noticed a common theme amongst all of them. Currently, I am reading Atomic Habits by James Clear.
In this book, it talks about making minuscule habits everyday that compound to a bigger result. The actions we take every day are motivated by our ego - the identity that we’ve attached ourselves to. In order to change what we consider a bad habit, we must be willing to change and expand our identity. To go beyond our current perception of ourselves.
Last week we talked about how changing the way you talk to yourself, even
slightly, can change your perception. If you haven’t noticed yet, we’re diving deep to each of the My Top 5 body boundaries. Let’s talk about #2 of that list:
Stop tugging or lifting parts of your body when you look in the mirror.
When we touch ourselves in this way, we’re telling ourselves that at this moment, we’re not good enough. We are physically communicating to our body that your mind and body are not in alignment with who you are right now.
Our bodies change for various reasons. Some things are beyond our control like genes, aging, ability and circumstances. Personally, there are times I feel too attached to the physical version of my 20 year old self. I would pull back my thighs and arms. Lift my boobs to see if it looks anything like my pre-baby body. Tug at my arms to see what it would look like.
When I imagine my best self, I think of my 20 year old self. These thought processes have become a habit because my ego is attached to that version of me. Again, fake positivity is not welcome here. Instead, when you notice yourself doing these things, pause for a moment and ask yourself:
- What version of myself am I thinking about when I do this?
- What is this communicating to my body?
Once you start to recognize where these thoughts come from, we can be more compassionate and accepting of ourselves.