We are our own worst critics. This is a saying you have probably come across before. An important follow-up question to ask yourself is, how does being critical impact my self-esteem and body image?
We all struggle with confidence and can be overly critical about our bodies at times. It can be hard to befriend your body in a culture steeped in diets and the thin ideal. If you have read any of the other blogs, you may have picked up on our firm stance that all bodies are good bodies and deserve respect, love and kindness.
Body image and body respect is a topic frequently discussed in therapy with the clients we work with. What we think skews our perception and lead us to being too critical. This is true about how we perceive ourselves, others and the world. Dove produced a video with an interesting experiment about 10 years ago that highlights the power of difference in perception.
You can see the video here.
In this video, a sketch artist creates sketches of Person A from the perspective of Person A and Person B. The portraits produced are striking in that Person B is the more accurate describer of Person A. Persons A then get a chance to reflect on these stark differences. They realize how critical they are of themselves.
I challenge you to get curious about how you talk to yourself and the critical thoughts you have about your body.
Another of my favorite sayings: wherever you go, there you are. Always remember, your body is your home.
We’re psychotherapists in Weschester, NY.
Visit our homepage at: www.couragepsych.com
