Diet Tip, Get off the Scale. Seriously. For Emotional Peace of Mind

I'm just a few pounds shy of my weight loss goal of 100 pounds. It's taken me about two years total, but the weight came off faster in the second year because I understood better how to diet. I just tried on last summer's pants and found I've dropped four sizes since then. Losing weight is as much about emotional as much as physical health.  Diet Tip, Get off the Scale. Seriously.

Quit Letting People Take Advantage of You, Manipulate You

 I've always let people take advantage of me. I've been embarrassingly easy to manipulate. I have what IFS Growth Patterns calls "people pleaser pattern" personality. It stems from low self-esteem and an over-active conscience. I'm an empath. I can't divorce others' pain from mine. This weird melange has destroyed my mental health and ruined relationships. But I'm not letting it anymore. To heal, I'm getting out of the passenger seat and taking over the wheel of my life. This heals relationships, too. Here's how. Quit Letting People Take Advantage of You, Manipulate You

Look Thinner: Break Fat Posture Habits

 I'm about halfway through my goal to lose 100 pounds. Looking at pictures of myself, I can see why I still look like I did with 50 extra pounds. I sometimes have fat posture. Just as certain things make me look younger or older, some habits make me look thinner or fatter. Here's why and how.

* Find "fat attitude" roots: Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy teaches us that actions and emotions stem from thinking patterns. "Fat posture" for me stems from shame. As a kid I was chubby. Read more Look Thinner: Stop Fat Posture Habits

Techniques, Self Help Therapy to Heal Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem, lack of confidence, poor self-image, these are some of the many ways to describe feelings of worthlessness. In my experience and research, I have come to a working conclusion that low self-esteem is at the core of many surface illnesses. Depression, codependency, lethargy, failure to thrive, low achievement, substance abuse, isolation, relationship issues, control issues, rage, arrogance, intolerance, parenting problems, frequent illness, stress and stress related illnesses and many others.  10 Therapeutic Techniques to Heal Low Self-Esteem

Distorted Stinking Thinking of Low Self Esteem, Depression

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside the head of a person with low self-esteem? I can clue you in. I've had a lot (too much) of experience with it. If you're experiencing low self-esteem for the first time, it can be pretty scary. If you've not experienced it, it's hard to imagine why we behave as we do.

Low self-esteem often manifests as depression. It's a complex melange of feelings, but it's based on negative thinking. Stinking thinking, as Al-Anon and Alcoholics Anonymous would call it. Everyone has some thoughts of self-doubt, but in a person with low self-esteem, these thoughts are pervasive. Teens are particularly vulnerable. Negative thoughts are obsessive, inaccurate and distorted, too. Here's how people with low self-esteem think about themselves. Distorted Thinking of Low Self-Esteem, Depression 

Pity Party: When Low Self-Esteem Becomes a Weapon

Addictive and Alcoholic Behavior: Bullying and Using Low Self-Esteem as a Weapon
Bullying and alcoholic addictive behavior use low self-esteem as a crutch and an excuse for behavior. 'Don't expect much from me; I'm suffering.'Alcoholic behavior, when confronted, often turns low self-esteem into a crutch and a weapon.
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