“My thighs are so big.” “I wish my arms looked like hers.” “I wish my stomach was flatter.” Living in a day and age where we’re surrounded by images of perfectly Photoshopped people, it’s not uncommon to have thoughts like these. Research, including a 2016 study published in Psychology of Women Quarterly, shows that negative self-talk can have a detrimental impact on your confidence and mood, says Lindsay Henderson, a psychologist.
Take action: “Start paying attention to how you communicate with yourself, and track both the positive and negative examples of it throughout each day. Noticing and observing this self-talk is the first step toward changing it,” says Henderson. Next, start challenging these messages. “Write down things you like about yourself, and keep those positive messages on hand so you can fight back next time negative self-talk rears its ugly head. The seemingly insignificant act of challenging your own internal thoughts has a remarkable impact on one’s emotions.”