How To Avoid Negative Self Talk Over The Holidays
The festive season ought to be one full of cheer and mince pies. However, as we all know too well, it can be also be one filled with judgment and stress. One of the absolute worst things about the holidays is that it spurs a whole load of negative body talk. You hear it from your friends, family members, and loved ones throughout the entire season.
If you want to get some headspace and avoid it, here’s what you need to know:
Don’t get bogged down by ‘diet talk’
Diet talk is the worst. There’s no doubt about that. During the holiday season, people get absolutely obsessed with dieting. They endlessly moan about how much they’ve eaten and complain that they need to go on a diet. If you’re not feeling 100% confident, you could let their opinion sway you. Don’t let them drag you into their negativity.
Someone being hurtful and strikingly negative about their own body is nothing to do with you at all. It has no reflection on you whatsoever. When you hear this subject rearing its ugly head, you need to find a way out of it. Simply say something polite and leave pronto.
Practice intuitive eating habits
From festive turkey dinners to pigs in blankets, there’s a wide range of delicious holiday treats you might want to enjoy this season. And so you should. Rather than trying to restrict yourself when you’re at meals or parties, eat as much as you feel you need to. That is to say, you should eat until you feel full and be mindful as you do so.
Worrying about how many calories you’re consuming or thinking that you’ve eaten too much is only going to make you stressed out. It’s not healthy. Instead, eat the things that you love in moderation. Be sensible about your food and love every bite. Simple.
Related: 7 Powerful Body Positive Habits To Start Today
Set boundaries (and stick to them)
Do you set boundaries when you’re talking to your family and loved ones? If the answer is no, it could be time to start a brand new resolution… a little earlier than the new year. Make it clear to the people around you that you don’t want to discuss your body shape or size. It is not a topic that should be raised over the dinner table or anywhere else, for that matter.
When you start setting firm (yet polite) boundaries, people will have more respect for you. It’s crucial that you show anyone with a negative viewpoint that you are in total control of your body. In the nicest way, let them know that what they think of it simply does not matter.
Don’t let people project their insecurities
Everyone has insecurities. That’s a fact of life that’s hard to avoid. However, these worries become toxic when we start projecting them on other people. For example, should someone feel uncomfortable about their own appearance – for whatever reason – they may try to shift the focus onto you and say something negative.
When you spot this type of behavior, you need to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later. That’s not to say that you should have a full-blown confrontation. That’s going to get you nowhere fast. Instead, simply smile and say something positive back to the person. Don’t rise to their negativity or allow the conversation to go any further. Be the bigger person and show them that their words have zero effect on you.
Change the subject to a positive topic
If all else fails, there’s one tactic that you can try here. The moment any negative body talk comes up, you should simply change the conversation. When you get into the habit of avoiding this subject matter, you will see that it’s much easier to stay mindful and happy. If someone you know starts talking about body issues, take your cue and change the topic.
Of course, there are loads of interesting subjects you may want to discuss. You could talk about your friend’s new job, your latest project, or a skill that you both want to learn together. Reframing the conversation means that you can give it a positive spin and prevent the issue of body-shaming from ever coming up. Give it a go!
Related: How To Stay Body Positive While Bra Shopping
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