Does your self-image determine your health?
Self-image is of itself something strange – “Cogito, ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am). But then what are you?
Apparently, you are never what you think you are, but you do become more and more of what you think you are.
Your body develops according to what you do with it. If you run every day, then your body becomes good at running. If you do yoga every day, your body will become very limber. If you sit on a chair for 10 hours every day, then your body becomes very good at sitting.
That is exactly how it works with your thoughts. If you think a lot about a subject, then you practice thinking a lot about that subject.
If you think a lot about your work, then you become good at thinking a lot about your work. If you think a lot about your relationship that is not going well, then you are practising the thought that your relationship is not going well. If you think a lot about that ugly wrinkle on your face, then you are indirectly practising the thought that you are not beautiful enough.
That which you feed will grow.
So feed the positive things!
This research shows that people with a sporty self-image are more engaged in sport and therefore gain all kinds of indirect positive effects from it.
It seems like a dead logical explanation, but there is much more to it, namely that when you adjust your self-image (exercise your thoughts) you automatically adjust your behaviour accordingly!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5065326/
So be kind to yourself without losing empathy.
