beauty is all in your head!

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Beauty is All in Your Head!
Healing Your Body Image
by Aluna Michaels, M.A.

Like it or not, your body will be your constantcompanion throughout life.But what do you honestly think when you see it? Unfortunately, you probably act like the snobby high school cheerleader who sees the nerdy girl, rolls her eyes with disgust and thinks, "Ugghh, she's here!" And that's too bad because your body is not an annoying hanger-on; your body is your best friend. Wouldn't it be great to gaze in a mirror and think positively about the fleshly form you see? The goal is to look at your body and feel as happy as when you catch sight of your favorite gal-pal and think, "Hey! There she is!"

Being content within your own skin is an essential ingredient of a healthy lifestyle. This type of peacefulness is not achieved by working out harder, longer or more efficiently. Certainly continue your physical fitness habits, but balance them with a mental fitness routine. Face it, you're already relatively fit. It's you're body image that's flabby! No amount
of aerobics classes, perfectly executed sit-ups or calorie-counting is going to shape up your warped body perception.

Subconscious Sabotage

Body image is in the mind and actually has very little to do with your weight or physical shape! Furthermore, body image isn't based in the conscious mind. Its roots are in the murky mire of the subconscious mind -- the toxic
waste dump of your psyche. That's why everyone can tell you how gorgeous and shapely you are, but you look in the mirror and feel dissatisfied. The rational part of you knows your body isn't fat and revolting -- but another part of
you takes over and convinces you that you look more like a cow than a woman. Sound familiar?

Basically, it all comes down to the fact that how beautiful or unattractive you are is actually all in your mind. However,
changing your thinking is easier said than done. If it were so simple, you would have let go of your negative body image long ago. Perhaps at one time you even confidently declared, "I am going to think of my body as beautiful from now on. It is obvious I am not fat -- I'm fit! I don't want this negative garbage in my head anymore!"
This strategy may have worked for a few days or even weeks, but eventually the old thoughts seeped back in. You may have been disappointed since you'd heard affirmations can help change your attitude. While that is true, they are only
part of the solution. Affirmations only address your conscious thinking. When you try to change your thoughts and actions with your conscious mind only, the results don't last. It would be like mowing the lawn to get rid of dandelions. They have deep roots and will just grow back. Body image problems are the same way. So what can you do about those subtle and baffling subconscious forces that cause you to go against your best interests and think hurtful thoughts? Have hope! You can heal these hidden patterns that continue to torment you endlessly about your figure flaws when you are actually luscious and lovely!

This four-stage process is designed to clean out your subconscious mind and empower your daily thinking.

Phase 1: Collect Your Mental Garbage

Begin this process by sitting quietly with a notebook or journal. Pick the
part of your body that causes you the most grief.
Let's use the
example of
obsessing about cellulite on your thighs. No matter
how many leg
lifts you do,
fat
grams you count or even how thin and muscular your
legs get, that
orange-peel
flesh follows you around like a bad dream.

Start by writing down all your critical thoughts about
this body
part. Maybe
you think, "Yuck! I look like I sat in cottage
cheese!" or "I can
never wear
shorts in public or people will run away screaming!"

List the abusive names you call yourself due to this
distorted
perception.
"Oh, I'm a total elephant!!" "Thunder thighs."
"Saddlebag Sally."
Record all
manner of such taunting.

Include the many times you've compared your body to
those of other
women. For
example, do you enviously examine the thighs of every
women at the
gym and on
the street? Do you feel hopeless looking at thin
models and sleek
celebrities?

Finally, recall the many years hearing other women
complaining about
your
most detested body part. Do your friends hate their
thighs? Do your
mother and
sisters? Think about how the media has influenced your
view. As you
write,
you're not placing blame. You are acknowledging the
highly
suggestible nature of

the subconscious mind. It automatically absorbs
everything around it.
If all
you've ever heard is the high value placed on smooth,
slender thighs
and the
cellulite-anxiety of all the women you encounter, what
other message
can your
subconscious store??

This phase is intended to expose the damage these
quiet, yet powerful
thoughts inflict upon you. They are a background
recording that
drones on and on
to
create a corrosive body image. Usually, this
subliminal tape
manipulates you
without your conscious knowledge. By doing this
writing exercise, you
turn up
the volume and listen carefully. You'll be shocked by
what you hear!

Phase 2: Take Out the Trash

Think about this simple equation. If you notice you
have some
physical weight
to lose, you exercise your body to burn off the excess
fat storage.
Well, now
that you're aware of the roots of unhealthy mental
weight, you need
to
exercise your mind to get rid of the "fat" in your
head! Try this
subconscious
"spot
reducing" routine.

Sit quietly with your list of grievances concerning
your selected
"figure
flaw". Close your eyes and imagine four steps leading
up out of a
dark place
into
a bright light. This stairway represents moving from
the bleak realm
of the
subconscious into the land of healthy, happy thinking.

Envision yourself on the dark first step. Re-read your
list of
chronic
complaints, nasty names, cruel comparisons and toxic
influences.
Contemplate the

pain and sadness these perpetual ideas have caused
you.

Now step up to the second stair, which is a little
brighter than the
first.
Think about how this feature would look if you had
your way. Exactly
what would
be different about it? How would you feel about
yourself with say,
"perfect
thighs"? Revel in the blissful relief at finally
appreciating this
part of your
physique.

The third stair is brighter still. It is the step of
forgiveness. It
may be a
strange or awkward thing to do, but try it! Forgive
yourself for the
years of
anguish caused by constantly condemning and
criticizing this part of
your
body. Forgive your subconscious mind for blindly
absorbing all the
damaging
information around you. Forgive the people who may
have influenced
you
negatively,
since they are suffering in the same way as
you!

Now you are ready for the bright step of release. See
yourself
stepping up
into the light of clear understanding. Feel as if you
are being
warmed by the
summer sun. Realize that you are now free from the
bondage of the
hidden
patterns that inhibit your daily happiness! If you
want, rip up the
paper that
contains your negative memories. You could
even burn it in the fireplace as a powerful symbol of
emotional
freedom.

Phase 3: Imagine a Bright Future

At the end of every mental cleaning session (since you
probably have
more
than one section of your body that discourages you),
include a
positive
visualization. This will now be maximally effective,
since you've
pulled the
negativity
up by its roots!

Close your eyes and imagine looking in the mirror. See
yourself
smiling and
feeling happily content gazing at your reflection.
Concentrate on
what it would
feel like to truly love your body and fully respect
yourself. Go even
farther
by visualizing yourself making food choices that will
build dignity
rather
than shame. Envision handling stress with poise and
balance when it
inevitably
arrives.

Phase 4: Send In the Reinforcements!

With all that mental weight off of you, you'll be
surprised how
slender and
shapely you appear! Congratulations -- you are
beginning to see the
body
everyone else has always seen.

Please be advised that the subconscious mind is
programmed to refill
the
vacuum you've created by emptying the mental garbage.
It's very easy
for
habitual
thoughts to take root once again. You job now is to
create an
alternate group
of habitual thoughts that are positive and
constructive. This means
bombarding
your subconscious with as much praise about your body
as you formerly
harassed it with messages of doom and disgust.

As you approve of your body regularly and rigorously,
it will respond
with
radiant health and vitality. Persistent praise will
motivate you to
eat
healthfully and to stick with your exercise program
without struggle
or strain.

If you are having trouble choosing affirmations, see
the sidebar for
helpful
ideas.

Be Patient. Strive to be as committed to your mental
fitness as you
are to
your physical fitness. You will see lasting,
satisfying results. Even
small
progress will have a profound effect on your thoughts
and moods.
However, the
entire process of clearing your subconscious may take
awhile. Have
patience! It
will be worth the time and effort.

Make a decision to start appreciating your body as it
is now, not
when it
looks different. If you don't change you inner
programming, you'll
never be
pleased with what you see on the outer -- even if you
have a "perfect
figure".

Always keep in mind that your state of awareness
dictates what you
see. By
healing your negative subconscious messages, you'll
focus
effortlessly on your
body's beauty, not its flaws. You will be amazed by
the loveliness
you've
overlooked all this time.