10 Journal Prompts for Body Image: a Gentle Way to Support Your Healing

Studies have shown that journalling can be a powerful tool that supports mental wellbeing.

• Identifying patterns and triggers. Writing about your issues and negative beliefs can help you to identify triggers and thought patterns that aren’t helpful or that are contributing to your feelings. By becoming more self-aware of these patterns and triggers, you can build new habits or develop new skills of dealing with them in a way that better supports your mental health.

• Processing experiences. Taking the time to process difficult experiences in writing can help you to better process those experiences. As a result, you might also find it easier to manage any difficult emotions that resulted from that experience.

• Reducing anxiety and depression. Many studies have shown that developing a regular journalling habit can reduce the intensity of symptoms of depression and anxiety.

• Celebrating the wins. Journalling doesn’t have to focus on negative thoughts or difficult feelings. It can be a place where you celebrate small wins and big victories. You can make lists of little things that made you smile that day or of people in your life for whom you’re thankful.

• Replacing negative self-talk with positive self-talk. As you journal, you might become aware of negative self-talk: being too hard on yourself, putting yourself down, or only focusing on the negatives. A journal can be a space where you practice more positive self-talk. You can try to write about things you’re proud of or small things you’ve this week.

Journalling Prompts to Support Your Healing

While journalling is beneficial, it can be difficult to know what to write when a blank page is staring back at you. If you’re currently healing your relationship with your body, here are 10 prompts you can use as a jumping-off point in your next journalling session.

1. If I woke up tomorrow and all my issues with food and my body were resolved, how would I feel? If my relationship with my body and food was suddenly positive, what would my life look like?
   Would you feel confident, happy, carefree, unburdened?
   Would you do anything differently in your life, for example cooking, dressing yourself, taking photos of yourself, going out with friends?
   What would it feel like not to worry about how you look or what you eat?

2. What are 3 things that I’m grateful for that my body can do?
   Think practical things: I’m grateful to my legs for carrying me on long walks with my dog. I’m grateful for my arms for allowing me to hold my baby. I’m grateful to my hands for letting me do the crafts I enjoy doing.

3. What is a need that my body currently has that I’m neglecting but can fulfill?
   Is your body thirsty, and do you need to drink a glass of water?
   Are you hungry, and do you need to put some food in your stomach?
   Are you tired, and can you have a short nap?

4. If I were very comfortable in my own body, what are things I would do that I don’t do now?
   Would you go to the beach? Wear colourful clothes? Be in more photos?

5. In this moment, my body really needs…
   Rest? Food? Social interaction? Physical comfort? Fresh clothes? Lying down? A hug? A shower?

6. What would it feel like if I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted to eat?
   Would it feel scary or liberating? Would it feel freeing or are you scared of losing control? Explore what it would feel like to remove any type of restriction from your relationship with food.

7. When was the last time I felt completely comfortable in my body?
   Think back to a time when you felt comfortable in your body and didn’t worry about the opinions of others’. Describe the experience in detail: what you were doing, what you were wearing, who was with you, and most importantly, how it felt.

8. What is something I can do today for my body that will make me feel better tomorrow?
   Think of something very concrete you can do for your body. Perhaps it’s cooking a nourishing meal or filling the fridge with groceries. Or maybe you’re finally ready to let go of the clothes in your wardrobe that don’t fit you and just make you feel bad about yourself.

9. How much energy and mental space does food and my body take up right now? What would I do with that energy and mental space if I no longer needed it to think about food and my body?
   Consider how often you think about food, your body, your appearance, etc. on a day-to-day basis. How would you redirect that energy and mental space to something else in your life?

10. If I were to speak to my body as if it was a good friend, what would I say?
    Imagine that you’re talking to your body in the same way that you would speak to a very good friend. Using compassion and empathy, what would you say?

Looking for More Support?

I work with clients to help them recover from diet culture, improve their body image, and reduce shame and restriction in their lives. If it sounds like we’d be a good match, you can book a free 15-minute call or book a session with me.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out via yasmine@outofthewoodscounselling.net if you have any questions.