A message from Sandy. More on loving yourself……………………

Keep thinking positively. Ahhhhhhhh, my favorite!(but not always easy–find yourself a positive partner in crime) Keep thinking positively–no matter what. So you just hung up on a new patient and have no phone number to reach them, so you got a terrible haircut, so you forgot your shoes today, so you gained 5 lbs. SO WHAT! No matter what–there is always something positive to focus on—-push the negativity from your mind.

Let go of your past. Remember, this is where you are now. You may have been something else in the past–thinner, prettier, more athletic–whatever, but you are here now, in the present. Love who you are right now!

Motivate yourself. You are the best motivation tool you have. Other people may encourage you, but only YOU can really motivate yourself. Do whatever you need to to remind yourself how great you are.

Never say never. Don’t settle, don’t think there is no hope, or things will never change. If you believe you can change something, you can.

Put on your best outfit. You know that sometimes just a change of clothes can change your perspective. Don’t stay in sweatpants all day. Don’t settle for average or blah or you will feel average and blah. Put some effort into your appearance and you will feel better about yourself.

Question your perception. You look in the mirror—what does your gremlin Critical Carol say?  ”you’re ugly, your too fat, you look tired….” You get the picture. Your mind (and some help from Critical Carol)can really DISTORT your thoughts. Sometimes what we see isn’t what’s really there.

Remember what you love. You hate your stomach, you love your eyes; you hate your arms, you love your thighs (hey that rhymes) Focus on the parts you love and stop obsessing about what you don’t like about yourself.

Stop judging. You are your worst critic. You are probably judging yourself much more harshly than anyone around you is. (that Critical Carol is everywhere) So STOP IT—–STOP IT right now!

We’ll wrap this up tomorrow.