Your Language Matters

Language is so important in our everyday life. Communication of any kind is how we fulfill our needs as humans. Language matters. I come across people talking about themselves very negatively. Sometimes it’s not even negative. They’re words that perpetuate a message of intolerance towards issues we all face. One of the most blatant examples I come across people saying things like “I hate my body” or “my body is broken.” I’ve talked about this before but I want to explain why I think this is so toxic.

How we talk about ourselves is often how we allow other people to treat us. If we degrade ourselves, other people may feel that they can as well. Beyond that, if we judge ourselves for what we struggle with we are no better than a bully. Here are some examples of language change.

“I hate my body”—-”I’m struggling to accept my body the way it is.”

“My body is broken”—-”My body is really struggling, it needs extra help right now.”

“I’m so lazy”—–”I’m lacking energy and/or motivation.”

“I’m so stupid”—-”I’m embarrassed that I said that but nobody’s perfect.”

I understand that nobody’s language changes overnight. Some of these phrases might now fit into your lifestyle. What I’m trying to explain is that making blanket statements about you changes how you view yourself. If you’re working to love your body, you won’t become body positive by telling yourself that you hate your body. We need to fill our surroundings with love and compassion. This is essential for creating a nurturing environment and allowing ourselves to grow.

All of this to say, I hope you do love your body. I hope that none of this applies to you. If it does, there’s no shame in that. We all struggle with our image or loving ourselves. That is completely normal. You don’t need to feel less than and more than that, you don’t need to tell yourself you are less than. We are all perfectly imperfect and growing daily. Enjoy the process and don’t get caught up in labeling yourself as bad.