Let’s be honest, when you look at yourself in photos, do you like what you see? Do you ever feel stress, anxiety, sadness, or shame when you see photos of yourself? If you answer yes, you’re not alone. These feelings may come up when looking at old photos, or you may feel this way looking at pictures or videos featuring yourself at this very moment.
I can say, with 100% certainty that there are plenty of times, I do not like the way I look in photos. It is not easy, and I am learning to feel comfortable in my own skin and not be so critical of the way I look. I am not gonna lie, getting to this place takes work. Often I need to sit with my feelings until I can move on, thereby not letting negative self doubt get the best of me.
Let’s take this photo of me. I believe that it’s not the best picture and I can say “yup, not a great one of me” and move on. What is important isn't the way I look, but the way I feel. It was last nite, after dinner, I was in my pjs and it was pouring rain. My son and his girlfriend were going for a walk and I jumped in and said I wanted to go too! I grabbed my hat and umbrella and off we walked! Destination- a new neighborhood candy store! We had so much fun walking in the rain and I was so happy to have a spontaneous evening with them!
If you would like to learn how to be less critical of yourself, let me help you! As a behavioral therapist and intuitive eating counselor, I can support you!
When we make an active effort to soften the negative voice in our head we can give ourselves grace and practice self compassion.