i <3 roots hummus! yum. try their spinach kind!
i still struggle a lot with negative stories and thoughts. it's especially tough coming out of an eating disorder, but when it happens i stop whatever i'm doing, look at myself in the mirror and say, "STOP!" out loud, and then list off positive affirmations. 🙂

I do suffer a little bit with negative storytelling but I really try to “turn it off” like you did. I try repeating positive mantras instead and usually it can stop the storyline before it gets too bad.

I definitely struggle with negative storytelling. It is shocking to me sometimes how naturally I fall into it every single time and have to consciously work my way out of it and change the story.

Someday I’d love to not automatically be negative about myself. It really stinks!

I, too, sometimes struggle with negative thoughts about different things and realize that I am very fortunate that I have my health and there are people who are suffering a lot more than me. I find that when I put it into realization such as that it helps me to remember what is really important in life and it’s not how a stupid shirt looks. All you have to do is read the newspaper and see how fortunate you really are. 🙂

I struggle with negative story telling with work sometimes. I feel like I am not a business person, but here I am with my own company trying to prove myself wrong 🙂

YES! I do it with cooking. It is so hard for me to talk positively about it. I always shrug off good things as luck. I think it is so easy to fall into that trap, but I am working on turning that kind of stuff off all the time. Congratulations on the class! That is a huge accomplishment!

Ok, the sandwich, I am doing that tonight for my dinner only on a savory waffle. We have to do quick and easy tonight since my son has a chorus concert. That sandwich just looks too good!

Oh I definitely struggle with it! I think, like you said, the first thing is to recognize it and stop (which is easier said than done). I often have “arguments” with myself in my head…for every negative thought, I try to think of two positive things until I stopped the negative self-talk.

I definitely do that to myself. It’s nice to hear you admit you do it too though! The toughest thing for me is when I go into something feeling SO positive and then once it’s gets hard I’m like, “oh yeah, nevermind, I can’t do this.” It’s so hard to turn that thinking around!

xx

We all do it sometimes, it’s really so difficult to stop. Congrats on making it through the class though!

Yes I definitely have. I’ve had similar moments such as yours in the gym, surrounded by other gorgeous woman all wearing LuLu Lemon, and my mind starts racing “I want a new top! Your hips are too wide. Your butt is looking squishy. You should do more squats and lunges. You shouldn’t have eaten that chocolate last night. You shouldn’t have had that extra glass of wine.” And then I reach a point where I just start telling myself that I’m being ridiculous and too self critical. And then I start giving myself healthy affirmations, “You’re beautiful on the inside. That butt and those hips take you through spin classes and running. Your husband thinks you’re absolutely gorgeous. You treat yourself right with healthy food and exercise most of time, and life is too short to not have indulgences!”
It’s an ongoing cycle – but I’m at least able to stop myself, realize that I’m being ridiculous, and then remind myself of the wonderful life that I have, with an amazing and loving husband and family, and that I’m healthy and happy. That’s what matters most in life – and I’ll forever remind myself of that 🙂

first – that salad looks AMAZING! Yum!

i definitely think negatively sometimes…my worst habit is comparing myself to others – friends, bloggers, colleagues, etc, but honstely, thankfully, this has decreased as i have grown older, more confident and happier with myself.

i rarely comment but this post, as simple as it was, IS SO AMAZING. often we forget how simple/normal negative talk seems… so even though a lot of us sign onto the grand notion of positive thinking and operation beautiful, reminders about how the LITTLE THINGS LIKE THIS add up to the big problem is so necessary. THANK YOU. day changed for the better.

Oh yeah, I definitely have to deal with those voices! I’m reading Wayne Dyer’s Excuses Begone! And it’s very much about talking back to the excuse about why you can’t do something – we’re all amazing creatures with a spiritual connection, and those voices telling us we can’t simply aren’t true! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this, and congrats on making it through superflow!

Thanks so much for this post, Caitlin! Wow…it sure is timely. As a personal trainer, I can totally relate – people don’t expect me to struggle with those same thoughts and issues, and sometimes it’s hard because they roll their eyes if I ever say anything, so I often end of not verbalizing those thoughts. It’s good for me to be around certain people where I can let it out (my husband – he’s so patient!) and my mom (she understands), but we always try to come back to the point of looking at the bigger picture and injecting some Truth into the situation. It’s tough to stop that negative self talk – even though I tell my clients not to do it! – and was reminded through some things I read in Isaiah this morning that I am loved, valued, and worthy – that God sees me as righteous even though I am not. Wow. If HE loves me, I should probably learn to love myself and affirm, not tear down, myself. Thanks for this reminder – twice in one day. 😉

I get the nasty little voice in my head sometimes too. I had one the other day when I was looking in the mirror at my arms, thinking they were too jiggly. I told myself to stop pointing out the negative, and if I was unhappy with it to do something about it.

I definitely struggle is negative storytelling, especially at places like the gym. My mind starts working against me and saying things like, “God, Camille, look how skinny these girls are. Would it kill you to stop eating cookies?”
And then I remember the price I would have to pay to look like those girls. Maybe they are naturally build like that, maybe not, but I am definitely not. It isn’t worth giving up holiday cookies or putting in an extra hour at the gym that I could be spending at home with those that I love.
What is worth it is to look the way you naturally look and not try and change yourself to look like everyone else!

I love hummus so much! That sandwich looks delish! I was going to make vegan mac n cheese tonight, but now I might have to have hummus… 🙂

I suffer from negative storytelling a lot. I am getting better at working myself out of it and not listening to it, but it does sneak up. When I had to essentially stop running for a few weeks, I kept telling myself how fat I was getting, etc, when in actuality, I didn’t gain any weight and my waist line didn’t change.

I do everyday. I’m working on trying to end it!

I do the negative talk too, especially around finals!

I will admit that I usually do assume that you never suffer from Fat Talk or Negative Self Talk. Maybe it is because of your book or maybe it because of how self confident you come across. It honestly makes me feel better know that even you suffer through it too. Not because I want you to have to experience it too but because it makes me feel like I am not alone and that even the best people out there sometimes do it too. I struggle with Fat Talk to the point that it is almost ruins my life. Sometimes I refuse to go out with my husband or with friends because I don’t like the way I feel about myself. I have missed many a good times, holidays and special moments because I get caught up in the world of self doubt. I am working on it but I would be lying if I said everyday wasn’t a struggle.

I might be the master of negative storytelling out of all my friends..It’s also really hard for me to accept compliments because I tend to not believe them. Reading your blog has really helped me to limit the negative self talk though and, as this is my first comment, I wanted to genuinely thank you for that!(wrote a similar thing on mama pea’s blog today, because you both have inspired me so much)Lots of love from Germany!

So very true about the story- we should all do some editing and re-writing 🙂

Of course! I have negative thoughts and since I was little compared myself to others. Personally speaking, definitely something that needs to be worked on.

I just started home yoga myself learning thru DVD and haven’t mustered the strength to join a class. I’m actually intimidated since I’m back to basics and might not be shape like others. I think I’m just getting ahead of myself. I love your idea of how you’ve turned your negative self talk into a positive story 🙂

I still struggle with self-doubt and negativity, but I know it’s something I will overcome when I am supposed to. In the meantime, I love thinking of it as stories I tell myself. How cool?!!

i struggle with this too, especailly while running, i just try and remind myself of where i have come from to achieve what im doing..

Great post! I truly believe that there is power in words, and although it may sound corny, we really should, “Accentuate the positive; eliminate the negative…”

Great post, Caitlin! I try to flip my negative self-talk (which only happens occasionally and is always silly, petty and largely superficial things) by remembering operation beautiful & just switching it off – as you say. Totally works. Love yourself – snap!
Heidi xo