This year‘s mental health awareness week is body image.
Who does this affect? And in reality it’s all of us!
Who can say that they don’t have an issue with how they look? Even if it’s I wish I had straight hair instead of curly, somewhere in there is an issue.
Here’s a question inspired by a fellow coach Anna Jones…
What part of your body do you like and why?
It was an easy answer, my arms and calves. Why? because they are shapely and perfectly formed in my view…
The challenge in the question was a great one…why do we think about what are body looks like, rather than what that body part’s purpose or use is? I realised that it was significant that my it was my arms and legs, as they were the tools for my swimming, cycling and walking. They allow me to do the activities I love…
Body image is as much about how we see ourselves as how we expect other people to judge how we look. In some ways it’s natural, we make judgements on how we see people within seconds of meeting them, we make assumptions on what we see. Age, hair, build, presentation, disability everything! It helps us work out how to connect with the other person and whether they are a danger or not.
Those assumptions are based on how we see the world around us and what beliefs we have created. A common one is that ‘overweight’ people are unfit…I’ve met many who cycle great distances very fast and swim with great strength. They are far from unfit. What is fit? Not overweight?
Challenging our beliefs assumptions and judgements about body image is what will give ourselves the opportunity to get to the goal…not changing how we look…and changing how we think about body image….our body image…body image acceptance is the goal.
#MHAW #bodyimage #coaching #mindset #wellness #mentalhealthawareness
