You embark on a walk & with each stride, you take a purposeful deep breath, filling your lungs & noticing that your heart rate is matching your gait. You look up & observe a colorful bird’s nest in the trees before transporting back to being five years old as you notice a silly shape in the clouds. You hear the crunch of the hard earth beneath your feet & hone in on the way the wind is making your hair dance. You feel alive. 

You could also do the same walk, reaching the same destination, but completely miss out on the charming details of the first walk. 

Which walk would you rather take? 

You deserve a life that is not lived on mundane, autopilot. You deserve a life where everything is vibrant, full of memorable moments & noticing the details. Not only will life be sweeter but inviting mindfulness into your life can transform your body image & improve your confidence. 

Mindfulness, Body Image & Confidence 

mindfulnessAuto-pilot principles have not been serving you, especially not for building self-esteem & working to increase your self-confidence. Constantly living in your thoughts, you can struggle with focus & increased stress, welcoming self-doubt & amplifying your inner negative critic, prompting you to think, “you’re not good enough,” “you suck at this,” “that was so stupid,” or “you’re too fat,” “you’re so ugly,” all manipulated to diminish your light. 

Enter: mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of living in the present & being fully engaged in whatever activity you are doing. Through mindfulness, you begin to notice when you’re being consumed by the cruel inner critic so you can pause, observe, and change your thinking.  When your mind recites the same negative self-talk,  it drains the energy that should be put towards living a life full of joy. It steals chances, opportunities & experiences. 

When you lean into mindfulness, it can build deep awareness & over time, you can begin to trust what your brain & body actually needs.

As you grow to actively listen to your thoughts without judgment, you can begin to trust yourself more. Mindfulness tools have been scientifically proven to calm down your mind, allowing you to question those habitual thinking patterns that lead to insecure, negative thoughts & contribute to low self-esteem. Researchers explain that this works by allowing people to accept their life’s realities—including painful experiences & emotions—rather than avoid them.

8 Mindfulness Practices

I can’t express how happy I am that you’re open to practicing mindfulness. When I began to prioritize it mindfulness in my life & not write it off as frivolous, my life transformed. I found home in my body, became a better friend, and my confidence skyrocketed! 

That being said, mindfulness is not “one size fits all” so I have curated some of my favorite practices that you can try until you find what suits you!

  • No more multi-tasking. If you tend to pair activities such as cooking or cleaning with other activities, stop & see how it feels to put your energy into one activity. 
  • Daily body image & self-confidence meditation. These are often 5-10 minutes & can really energize your mind & power your day. Try free resources such as YouTube or Insight Timer. 
  • Stream of conscious journaling. There are no set rules here except to put pen to paper, set a 5-20 minute timer (whatever time you have) & write. This will allow you to free the clutter in your mind & clear your mind. Find a time that works for you, but I recommend either before bed or right when you wake up. 
  • Body Scan. Sitting or standing, draw your attention to your feet, working your way up to your head noticing any tension & trying to release it as you go. These release any physical tension & show your body, gentle love. Go nice and slow, this should take a few minutes.
  • Show Yourself Compassion. When your inner critic tries to grab the microphone, pause, & challenge these thoughts. Better yet, replace them with realistic & kind thoughts. ALWAYS offer a loving & compassionate alternative.
  • Power Poses. Power poses allow you to feel supported, strong, & confident in your own body. Straighten your spine, roll your shoulders back & put your chin up. You can also try the ‘superwoman’ power pose, where you stand with your hands on your hips and chest up. Power poses are best done in front of a mirror. Throw a smile in there to improve your mood even more!
  • Affirmations. Engage in self-accepting, neutral body talk where you show gratitude for what your body allows you to do. Affirmations such as, “my identity is not based on my body,” or “my body is my soul’s vessel” can guide you. When I’m feeling self conscious about a certain body part, I list in my head or on paper the things that body part does for me that allows me to live my life. That helps me move from a place of insecurity to gratitude. 
  • Mindful Smoking. Smoking weed can lead to improved awareness of the body & deepen mindfulness (depending on the strain, of course). It can be a beautiful release to get out of your mind & just be present. I recommend smoking & then turning on some of your favorite music & noticing how the body echoes the beat & how good it feels to move your body freely.  

Mindfulness Matters 

Mindfulness can rewrite the stories you’ve been telling yourself & guide you to grow in self-confidence. The more practice you invite into your routine, the more benefits you will reap. Intentional time with our minds allows us to discover acceptance, &  create a gentler, kinder relationship with ourselves & our minds. What mindful practice are you going to try? 

mindfulness Gabby Jockers is the Mindful Boudoir Photographer. She combines her decade plus of practice and training in yoga & meditation with boudoir photography to help clients get out of their heads and into their bodies to experience embodied confidence, joy, and fun! To learn more about the mindfulness-infused, body-positive boudoir experience at her Golden, CO studio, check out the website Embodied Art Boudoir

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