Body Image Booster: Practicing Mindfulness

Comment: Many of us struggle with body image and waste time comparing ourselves to magazines that feature the ‘perfect figure.’ What if we took all these destructive, wasteful thoughts and transformed them into focusing on the inside of our bodies and our peace at the present moment.

Research:

Mindfulness is a practice that can aid in improving our body image. It is important to tune into our own bodies instead of comparing ourselves to what we see in magazines and on other social media. To be mindful is to observe our bodies, thoughts, and feelings without judgement while savouring our food and tiny moments.

This article explains some of the benefits of mindfulness described by the author Michelle Lelwica ThD in an interview with Weightless.

In summary, Michelle Lelwica tells us that mindfulness can become a new source of meaning that replaces the superficial sense of purpose that on gets from the pursuit of a “better” body. Instead of this destructive pursual, we must develop an inner life that stirs curiosity about what is happening with our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations.

This practice will shift one’s focus from external appearance to a healthy focus on the inside of the body. Michelle says that, ‘to be aware of the present moment you must be fully present in your body.’

It is also important to learn to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings in a healthy manner instead of being carried away by them or running away from them. This comes with practicing mindfulness. In order to achieve positive body image, we must have a method of transforming pain into a place of inner peace where we can reconnect with our deepest values.

Mindfulness does not imply striving for perfection because there is no right or wrong way to go about it. The practice will be unique to each individual. With time, practicing mindfulness will cause a complete transformation of your thoughts and feelings. We must retrain ourselves to focus more on the present reality instead of wasting energy on how we wish things could be.

A great website, mindful.org, shares valuable posts concerning mindfulness.

This original article can be found at http://blogs.psychcentral.com/weightless/2013/03/body-image-booster-practicing-mindfulness/.