Here are a few top tips for helping you to stop unwanted thoughts, especially around stress eating and feeling guilty about it (but transferrable to any situation):

• Be patient with yourself! This is key.

• Pay attention to your thoughts. Sometimes we are unconscious about what we are thinking, and that’s okay, except for when we start beating ourselves up.

• When you have a thought you don’t want, notice it. Imagine that it’s at the end of a string attached to your brain. Imagine using scissors (any color, any decoration you like) to cut the string holding the unwanted thought. Imagine sending the thought away, maybe to a nice place where it can heal.
  
  Examples of unwanted thoughts:
  • “I shouldn’t eat this chocolate.”
  • “Ugh, I’m such an idiot for eating that bag of chips/crisps.”
  • “I hate myself for acting this way.”
  • “I can’t do this.”
  • “I’m not worth it.”
    
  • “I’m not loveable.”

• Be diligent and consistent about cutting away those unwanted thoughts. It takes work and it takes time but know that YOU CAN DO IT! Be sure that you don’t judge yourself when you forget.

You will notice that over time, you become more confident, more self-aware, and less judgmental in general. You will notice that you have more self-control, and you will become empowered. YOU CAN DO IT!