"Bad" Body Image Day Thrival Pack

We all have them. Those days where it just feels a little harder, a little more intense to be in a body. I want to reframe that these days don't have to be "bad." These days happen for many reasons and we can view them more as opportunities for self connection. Today, I'm offering you your Body Image Thrival Pack so you can navigate these days with as much ease as possible.

1. Acknowledge the internal dialogue that is coming up around your body.

We cannot change what we're not aware of and we cannot change what we don't own. Bring awareness to the inner stories showing up and own them and appreciate them for showing up. They are there guiding you in some way. By viewing your internal dialogue as something that is happening FOR you and not TO you we can shift from seeing it as the enemy that we need to run away from, our drown out, to something that is going to teach you something interesting about you that you might be excited to learn.

2. Take off your plate whatever you can and bring in more Somatic Self Care.

Often these kinds of days arise because there are emotions we're not addressing, our stress levels have increased, and a focus on our body is serving us as a way to try to gain a sense of connection with ourselves again. For many individuals, even negative attention is still attention. So when you notice a theme that you're picking on your body more and more and more, this is actually your way to get your own attention. The next day that you can take as much off of your plate, do that. Then, explore what would provide a sense of lightness and calm, feel like fun, make you laugh, and feel emotionally satiating to engage in. Your mind may be telling you things like, "you need to lose weight. You're not good enough as you are. You could be doing better. Why aren't you working out more?" None of these things are actually the answer to what is going on. What actually needs to change is you pushing yourself further away from you. Take time to assess what actions will support you in feeling closer to yourself not further away.

3. Get curious and journal.

Here are some questions I want you to journal about on your "bad" body image days. What do you believe is going to occur if you had a different body? How do you imagine you would feel in your body if your body was different? What have you been taught about the body part you pick on the most from family, friends, and media? What new beliefs would feel more satiating to have about this body part? What actions and thoughts could you engage with that would give you the emotions and sensations you desire without changing your body at all? You can feel light and loved and accepted and appreciated as you are now. These days are there to remind yourself that you are more than a body. You are a being having a human experience in a body. What you desire to have in your life can happen right now without changing your body at all.

4. And last, do something fun.

These days are often focused on the look or shape of your body. Your body can do so much just as it is. On these days, do something fun with your body. Experience your body in a new way. Your body is not defined by how it looks. Dance in your body. Roll down a hill in your body. Give your body a massage. Hike up a hill, climb a tree, play in this body you have in some way that reminds you just how cool this body is.

Days that body image is more of a focus can be guidance from your body to shift your attention to what supports you in thriving. We can normalize that these days will happen. Utilize this Body Image Thrival Pack and explore what you would uniquely want in your Thrival Pack so that when these days come around you have trust and confidence within yourself that you can navigate these days with so much ease.