My Son, Superhero In Training
The term "almond mom" has taken over social media, sparking conversations, and plenty of memes, about growing up with parents who were constantly dieting or closely monitoring food. Maybe your mom encouraged you to "just have a handful of almonds" instead of a meal. Maybe she labeled foods as good or bad, talked about calories at the dinner table, or frequently commented on her own body or yours. While the trend can be funny, it also resonates with many people because it reflects a very real experience: growing up surrounded by diet culture.
If you've ever wondered why you struggle to trust yourself around food or feel guilty after eating, your childhood experiences may be part of the story.
You might be familiar with visualization techniques, a very helpful way of managing anxiety and panic. What's really cool about visualization approaches is that they engage the same neural networks as if you were watching the action in real time. Studies have shown that visualization exercises can help regulate emotions, increase feelings of relaxation and reduce physiological stress responses - and the best part is that it’s so easy to do. Here are three visualization techniques to try next time you find yourself in a moment of anxiety or panic:
Photo grief is the emotional response to images that evoke loss, longing, or sadness. This could be a photograph of someone who has passed, a memory of a place or time that’s gone, or even pictures of yourself that bring up complicated feelings about identity, body image, or life changes. Photos can be a physical representation of so many emotions that live under the surface. Sometimes seeing a photo can evoke stronger emotions than when you think about the past. Seeing the physical memory can be really powerful.
