You Don’t Hate Your Body—You’re Just Believing a Thought

What’s actually happening when you feel like you hate your body?

You’re believing a thought.

It’s really that simple.

You glance down at your stomach, notice a couple of rolls, and your mind jumps in with something like:

"Ugh, that’s so gross. I’m so ugly. I need to lose weight."

In that moment, it seems like you genuinely hate your body.

But let’s look at what’s really going on: A thought pops into your head. And because it starts with "I," you assume it must be your belief.

But What If That Thought Isn’t You?

What if a thought like "I’m ugly" isn’t personal, but just a random idea that floated into your mind?

Like a bird flying through the sky.

We don’t claim every bird we see as our bird—it just passes through.

Well, what if all the critical thoughts about your body are like those birds? Just passing by. Not yours. Not you.

If the Thought Wasn’t There, Would You Still Hate Your Body?

Probably not. Because hating your body requires a thought to be present.

And if you don’t claim those body-shaming thoughts—if you just let them drift past—you don’t actually hate your body.

It really is that simple.

What If Letting Those Thoughts Go Feels Hard?

If it’s tough to let those birds (thoughts) just “fly by,” you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Come join Body Acceptance and Beyond Conversations and learn how to stop believing the thoughts that make you feel bad.

Or, if you want more personal support, check out Private Coaching.

Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash