Back in Week 4, you made the decision to think more positively about yourself; to be your biggest cheerleader and your own best friend. This is the time when you might need to give yourself a little pep talk and freshen up your cheerleader’s dance routine!
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
When embarking on a challenging new adventure, it’s very common to experience self-doubt. That judgy little voice that thinks she’s all that. She plays on your insecurities, discredits your accomplishments and likes to kick you when you’re down. What a beaming ray of sunshine!
In order to steer a steady course on your route to success, you have to learn to ignore this Negative Nancy. Realise that she is only a manifestation of your insecurities, and that she’s also a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Whenever you hear her sanctimonious snicker in your head, shut her right down. Recognise that her insults don’t have a leg to stand on and dispel her jabs with counter compliments that you know are valid.
Every time she complains that you haven’t made any progress in losing weight, try on the jeans that previously wouldn’t button or if she gets on your case about having those choccies, show her your fridge packed with healthy superfoods. Spin your negative thoughts around by combating them with alternative logic. Be aware that negative thoughts will try to sneak in at your most vulnerable; when you’re tired, discouraged, cranky or after having a Fast Fail. Rather than getting frustrated with your situation, snap out of it and praise yourself for embarking on this new journey; find pride and excitement in your fabulous-evolving self and accept that this is just a little bump in the road – remember: mistakes are proof that you’re trying!
Practice Positivity
Just like any new skill, the key to thinking positively is practice, practice, practice. Every time you feel a negative thought try to emerge, catch it right away and re-phrase it into a positive truth. Learn to recognise the negative thoughts and behaviours that repeatedly knock you off kilter. Identifying these triggers makes it easier to nip them in the bud before they can manifest into a complete thought. By repeating this preventative process, you’ll eventually mute that nasty little voice and in doing so, train your brain to always look on the bright side of life!
Brain Games
Get used to listening to the awesome chick in your head instead (hint: that’s the voice that’s actually you) through affirmations.
Write down 10 things you’re grateful for, 10 things you like about yourself and 10 things you’ve achieved lately. You can post this up in your house or keep it hidden away in your purse, but those warm fuzzies are wonderful little reminders of the ways in which you are so fabulous!