WEEK 8
Believing in Yourself
BELIEVING IN YOURSELF
"You have had accomplishments and devastations in your life,
and are a stronger person because of them."
BUILDING A NEW YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT!
You can achieve anything if you first believe that you can. Self-image is
the way you see yourself, your attitude toward yourself, and what you
think of yourself. We form our self-image from experiences. From those
experiences, we make decisions. From those decisions, we create beliefs.
Our actions are based on those beliefs.
For example, if as a child you are teased for being overweight, you will start to
adopt the belief that your weight is part of your identity. Your choices and
your decisions — with food and with life — support that identity. Despite
any weight loss efforts, it's hard to be successful because you may believe
being overweight is who you are.
Changes in life can reshape your identity, too. For example, if you've been
thin all your life, and then have your first child, your health may take a
backseat to caring for your family. Over time, you may believe that you are
less of a priority than your children, your spouse, or your job. Soon, you
aren't taking time for yourself and may gain weight. The simplest things
like going to the gym, getting a haircut, or taking "me" time can make you
feel guilty about not putting others first.
It's important to recondition your thoughts about yourself to
achieve long-term weight loss and success. This is accomplished by
changing your self-image. How you view yourself is going to determine
your success withTLS®. Here are the steps to begin changing and improving
your self-esteem;
I. Journal: Make sure you journal. Several studies have shown that people
who journal report having significantly less distress (i.e. suffering, sorrow,
pain), feel less depressed, and have an overall better mood. Additionally,
individuals also report that journaling changes the way they behave towards
and around other people.
Remember to continue reading the daily affirmations on each page of your
journal.They will help guide you and motivate you in your weight loss journey.
Remember:You have to motivate and believe in yourself before anyone
else will believe in you.
2.Try New Things: Sometimes doing the same things over and over can
make you feel like you're stuck in a rut. By stepping outside of your comfort
zone and trying new things, you will feel like a new person. When you're
busy having fun, it can actually help you lose weight because you aren't
always sitting at home trying to keep yourself from eating things that you
shouldn't! Focus on a new experience, like completing a 5K walk or run, to
help you create a sense of accomplishment and belief in yourself that you
can achieve more.
3. Self-Talk: Healthy self-talk is like exercise for your brain. We are bombarded
with so much negativity on a daily basis. It has been estimated that 75
percent of the thoughts we think about ourselves are negative. You have
to learn to be your biggest fan. If you want to improve your self-image, it is
important that you believe in yourself.
Just about any time of day, whether you are getting ready for work, driving
to work or cooking dinner; say positive things about what you'd like to see
happen. When you map out your day with positive words, good things will start to
happen in your life. Surround yourself with positive people.Their positive energy
and support will help you treat yourself in a more positive way
Take a moment to identify and write down the top three negative messages
that you tell yourself on a daily basis.Transform those negative messages
into positive messages below.
EXAMPLES:
Negative self-talk:"I will never lose weight. I've tried before and failed."
Transform into positive self-talk "I am so excited about my progress. I am
proving to myself that I can and am doing this.This is a journey and I will
take it day by day."
Negative view: "I can't have that food."
Positive view that gives you control:"! can have that food; I am just choosing
not to today."
PRACTICE FOR THE WEEK:
Write out a few positive affirmations and post them where you will
see them daily (bathroom mirror car cell phone). Over the next week,
read aloud your positive self-affirmations.You may feel silly at first, but
your thoughts create your beliefs. If you believe in yourself, you can
achieve your goals. Over the next couple of weeks, repeat this exercise
until you notice your negative self-doubt is replaced with positive self-
confidence.
Do you relate to any of these common self-confidence busters?
Here are 4 proven methods of increasing belief in you:
1. Lack of Support: Find a person who believes in you. Even when you
don't believe in yourself, you can find people who will support you.They
may be family, friends, or coworkers. Start by acknowledging the good
you see in others, then ask for the support you need.
2. Lack of Positive Experiences: Learn to transfer your experience. If you've
never done something, how are you supposed to believe you can do
it? It begins with visualization. See yourself do something before you
do it. Start with the end in mind and picture the positive results
you desire.Transfer the experience of visualization into reality.
List something you accomplished that was difficult, but you were able to
complete. It may be earning a degree, completing job training, giving a
speech, learning to play a musical instrument, completing a fitness event,
or sticking to a budget. When you remind yourself of your past success
stories, it can help you feel more confident about your ability to change
your eating habits or lifestyle.
3. Lack of Confidence: Build your self-confidence muscles. It's true: Some
people are born with more innate self-confidence than others. But
even if you weren't lucky enough to have been born with natural self-
confidence, you can build your confidence by working on it, just like
a muscle.
What builds self-confidence? Use questions like: "Why do I believe in
myself? Why do I trust my intuition?"These empowering questions focus
your mind on why you are, in fact, confident
4, Lack of Structure and Discipline: Install empowering habits. We each
perform activities each day that are habitual. Most are unconscious;
many are disempowering. When you exchange your disempowering
habits of thought and behavior to empowering ones, your self-belief
will naturally increase.This journal and health guide is preparing you to
perform a number of healthy habits daily, such as using food as fuel and
making exercise a priority.
Identify your disempowering habits and create action plans to overcome
them. For example, if you tend to fall off the wagon due to stress, build
simple stress management techniques into each day, such as calling a friend,
deep breathing, listening to music, etc. Or if you get derailed by social eating
situations, start spending time with friends in ways that do not revolve
around eating and drinking.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Each person has their own time and pace when it comes to working out,
losing weight or adopting healthy cooking styles.That doesn't mean you
can't do it, though!
NO MORE MENTAL GAMES...
Your body knows it can do it, but sometimes it takes your brain a little
longer to process the information.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING UP OR GIVING IN,
REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED.