Let’s take a minute to talk about the shame culture that we have in America.
Body shaming, fat shaming, food shaming… and that’s just to name a few.
Contrary to what people might think, shaming is not effective. While it might produce a temporary (or even permanent) change in behavior, it comes from a negative emotion. And anything birthed from a negative place is going to produce a negative outcome… even if in a different area.
So, what’s the cure for shaming?
I’m glad you asked.
It’s Kindness.
Yes, simple, ordinary, easily accessible Kindness is the cure to shaming and the negative outcomes we experience as a result. Instead of feeling guilty and hiding the fact that you ate that cookie or fell off your meal plan, cut yourself some slack.
Why? Because those feelings of guilt and shame tend to produce a cycle of behavior that only reinforces and produces more of the same.
It kinda looks something like this:
- Eat a cookie (or 10)
- Feel extremely guilty
- Hide both the eating of the cookies and the guilt
- Guilt shifts to shame
- Shame brings depression and sadness
- Depression and sadness lead to another cookie (or 10).
But what if it looked like this:
- Eat a cookie (or 10)
- Do a self-check to see what feelings/energy birthed that behavior (negative or positive)
- If negative, give yourself some kindness
- Acknowledge and appreciate your self-awareness
- MOVE ON in a POSITIVE MANNER
I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the latter of those two choices every time!
This is how you establish a lifestyle that leads to more healthier choices than not and that FEELS GOOD!
Aren’t you ready to feel good about food again?!
Yes? Then start with a little Kindness – to yourself!
