Your Words Matter (Especially the Ones You Say to Yourself)
by Emma Elise
How many times have you said something like, “Ugh, I’m so bloated” or “I need to lose weight, I hate how I look in this”? Maybe a friend quickly chimed in with their own version of body criticism: “Same, I hate my thighs” or “Don’t even talk to me about how bad I looked this weekend.”
It might feel like harmless venting. But what if I told you those small, casual words (especially when they’re negative) can add up to something much heavier?
Here’s the thing: our thoughts can lie. In fact, they lie a lot. And if you deal with anxiety, body image struggles, or mental health challenges like depression, those thoughts can become a full-blown echo chamber of unkind, untrue things. Things you’d never say to someone you love. So why do we let them live rent-free in our own minds?
Rewriting the Script Starts with You
I’ve learned to pause when those thoughts show up. You know the ones: “I’m so gross,” “I’ll never look like her,” “I should be better by now.” When they hit, I try to ask myself three things:
- Is this thought even true?
- Would someone who loves me agree with this?
- If a friend said this about themselves, how would I respond?
- Is this helpful to be saying?
More often than not, the answer is: It’s not true. They wouldn’t agree. I’d be heartbroken if someone I loved said this about themselves. Speaking negatively doesn’t help anything.
I realized that I need to speak to myself the way I speak to the people I love, with kindness, compassion, and encouragement. Because those words matter.
Positive Self Talk is Contagious
Choosing to speak kindly about your body isn’t just about personal healing, it’s also about community. When you speak positively about yourself, it sets a tone. It gives your friends, your family, your followers permission to do the same.
Saying, “I actually felt strong at the gym today” or “I love how I felt in this outfit” might feel uncomfortable at first. But you’d be surprised how those words spark something. Suddenly, your best friend is standing a little taller, your little sister starts complimenting her own reflection, and you’ve created a safe space of confidence.
We Can’t Hate Ourselves Into Confidence
This is something I had to learn the hard way: you can’t build a healthy lifestyle from a place of hate. You don’t suddenly wake up proud of your body because you’ve hated it enough. The shift starts when you decide to care for your body, honour it, and embrace it. You deserve to treat yourself with kindness.
Think of how you’d treat someone you deeply love. Would you starve them? Shame them? Speak to them with disgust? Of course not. You’d want to nourish them. Cheer them on. Celebrate their milestones, no matter how small.
So why don’t we offer ourselves the same?
Try this: the next time you catch a negative thought creeping in, pause. Take a breath. Ask those four questions. Then, try saying something kind, even if it feels a little silly. Your words have the power to shape your reality, to shift your mindset, and to support others in doing the same.
You never know who’s listening, especially when it’s you ❤️
