Do you struggle with body image issues? Do you, like me, find it pretty much a daily battle to not only accept, but LOVE your body – just as it is? Today, we’re going to talk about how not only external, but INTERNAL gaslighting plays a role in our body image issues. Sarah is VERY passionate about helping others truly understand gaslighting. This is the foundation for being able to OPT OUT of gaslighting experiences. The best place to start with that is her free video series and workbook Sarah created to go along with it. Word of the day: The word of the day today is coercion. Coercion is one of the seven techniques Sarah teaches about in her 12-week course. Coercion is: a form of aggressive behavior, or the practice of compelling a person to involuntarily behave in a certain way by use of threats, intimidation, or some other form of pressure or force. Coercion is often connected to more OVERT forms of abuse, and gaslighting, per Sarah’s definition, is experienced through COVERT behaviors. So, how does coercion fit in to gaslighting? Multiple tactics are combined to create an experience where the “victim” is convinced that if they do not comply, they will be punished – usually, that punishment comes in the form of not being loved/accepted/valued, etc. Sarah goes into this in much greater detail in her course. The guest today is Leslie Jordan Garcia. Leslie is a well-being entrepreneur who works with individuals and organizations to decolonize wellness through better relationships with food and our bodies. You can follow her and learn about her course here. Story Time: Sarah and Leslie talk about sooo many great things – from how Leslie, as an elite athlete, was overweight by the army’s standards when she enlisted, to how race can impact body image, to how the diet culture has sold us a lie. Deconstruction Zone: Sarah deconstructs the process of self-gaslighting when it comes to body image issues. It starts with some sort of external message – either direct or indirect/spoken or unspoken. Within that message is coercion overlapping with brainwashing. We don’t know that we can challenge these thoughts, and we NEED to feel loved and wanted, so we unknowingly make an agreement that thin = desirable. The external gaslighting has internalized and we’ve assimilated our gaslighter’s message. We now gaslight ourselves. Set Your Alarm: Leslie shares her acronym, RAIN – Recognize, Allow to roll off, Investigate, and Natural Awareness. Set Your Snooze: Sarah ads in something we can do in that “Investigate” part of RAIN. To help you do this, when you’ve noticed you’re self-shaming/self-loathing your body, ask yourself, “If I were free to be me and love myself, and KNEW I wouldn’t be any more loveable/desirable/worthy than I am right now, how would I talk to myself; how would I feel about my body? Sarah suggests a few things that could be mantras you repeat as you are breaking agreements and writing your own narrative about your body: Our bodies are so much more than calories in and calories out. They don’t get to define me – they don’t get that power. I define me.  Friendly reminder: Sarah has new ways to go through her signature program.  Check it out and follow Sarah on your preferred social media platform: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. These are all places you can engage with Sarah and the work She’s doing.  And remember – it’s not about becoming who you want to be, it’s about awakening all that you already are!