This weekend I happened to put on The Kardashians. In the particular episodes I watched, the family was going on vacation to celebrate the 20th wedding anniversary of Bruce and Kris Jenner. Instead of embracing this noteworthy occasion, Kris Jenner obsessed on how she hated her body, comparing herself to their twenty-something yaer old daughters. Granted the exaggerated reaction may have been coaxed by show producers, but there was some truth to her experience and distain with her physical appearance. The show aired a beautiful woman, who was maybe a size 4 or 6 and obviously does not struggle with obesity, publically barrage herself for the way she looked; letting let it overshadow a monumental life event. This made me think, “How many of us permit a distorted perception of ourselves to negatively impact life?”
A quote by Dr. Joyce Nash in Thin for Life by Anne Fletcher has always stood out to me, “When you find yourself at the pearly gates, God forbid that you should say to St. Peter when he asks you what you did with your life, ‘I watched my weight.’” The question I pose to you is what do you want your life to be filled with? Enjoying and savoring the moments that define life or permitting your perceived faults overshadow or diminish the experience.
There are many ways to define our lives other than weight or looks, but sadly the later has become the cultural and personal norm. When friends get together, particularly females, they discuss weight, wrinkles, and body image. The obsession with the “ideal” body image can be found on TV, magazines that circle cellulite of perfectly normal celebrities, and advertisements for hair replacement, Botox or other age delaying products.
Over the years, I have worked with many individuals who have lost weight and are unable to embrace themselves at a new body weight, continually obsessing and engaging in negative self talk. Sadly, negative self talk becomes “normal,” and is a very difficult habit to shed.
Why wait to be the perfect size to enjoy life and accept yourself? Catch yourself engaging in negative self talk to raise awareness of how often you do it. When you notice it creeping into your thoughts or words, replace your thoughts with more positive affirmations. Wage war against negativity and poor body image. Surround yourself with positive people and individuals who are likeminded.
To be honest, I should be ashamed of myself for not turning off a show that conveys the message that self hated, in regards to body image, is acceptable and normal. Take a moment to reflect on your thoughts on personal image, if how you perceive yourself affects life, and if the culture helps define “ideal” or “normal” for you. Then consider “catching” yourself when negative self talk creeps in and redirect your thoughts to a more positive and accepting statement.
