MAKING PEACE WITH THE MIRROR

Perfectly Unfinished Conversations | It's Good Enough, Let's Go!

In episode three of Iron Lab’s Perfectly Unfinished Conversations podcast, Coach Jo and Coach Kim discuss the dangers of perfectionism, our relationship with mirrors, and its impact on self-worth. From cultural expectations to social media pressure to generational attitudes, both Jo and Kim unpack their hang-ups about body image. By sharing impactful childhood memories and discussing the negative effect these experiences have had on their perceived self-worth, they give listeners practical advice for pushing past the negativity and learning how to love and look after themselves on a daily basis.

Listeners will hear about the crucial role of self-love and acceptance in personal growth and transformation. Coach Jo and Coach Kim emphasize how when we focus on appreciation for our bodies—no matter what stage of life we’re in—we gain the opportunity to love, nourish, and grow our minds and bodies so we can become the best possible version of ourselves.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling with body image and self-esteem. Jo and Kim give practical how-to advice for making consistent, positive mindset changes and help listeners understand they are not alone in their struggles.

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Contact Joely Churchill and Kim Berube | Iron Lab:

• Website: IronLabLacombe.com
• Instagram: Iron.Lab.Lacombe
• Facebook: IronLabLacombe
• Coach Jo Instagram: @CoachJoChurch
• Coach Kim Instagram: @CoachKimBerube
• Course: Metabolic Blueprint

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Transcript

Coach Jo 00:09

Welcome to Perfectly Unfinished Conversations, the Iron Lab podcast with Coach Jo…

Coach Kim 00:14

…and Coach Kim…

Coach Jo 00:15

Where you ride shotgun with us as we have raw, real, unfiltered, and unfinished conversations about trying to eat, sleep, train, and live with some integrity in a messy, imperfect life.

Coach Kim 00:27

We're all about creating a strong support system taking radical personal responsibility, having fun, and being authentic. And one of the most common themes you're going to find in this podcast is the idea that we create positive momentum in our life, by doing what we call b-minus work.

Coach Jo 00:45

We’re making gains and getting ahead and loving life without self-sabotaging our goals by striving for perfection. We get it done by moving ahead…

Coach Kim 00:55

…before we're ready…

Coach Jo 00:56

…when we aren't feeling like it…

Coach Kim 00:58

…and without hesitation.

Coach Jo 1:00

Be sure to subscribe now on Apple or Spotify, so you don't miss a single episode. It’s good enough. Let's go.

Coach Jo 01:10

Welcome back guys to episode three of the perfectly unfinished conversations podcast with Jo…

Coach Kim 01:16

Hi, my BFF! And coach Kim. This episode is all about making peace with the mirror. So, we want to have a discussion about the importance of this practice. ‘Cause it's a practice.

Coach Jo 01:30

So, what, why would it be an important conversation to have? Because I think behind closed doors, 80% to 90% of the female population probably deals with this. And it's not talked about enough in my opinion.

Coach Kim 01:42

Yea, I would agree. And I'm always kind of blown away. Because if I do have a conversation with somebody, and they're like, Yeah, I just, I'm totally good with the way I look. I'm always like, hands up, sister. I don't know how you got there. But I would love to know how you have been able to, like, put zero energy or attention, and this is kind of what we're talking about, put zero energy or attention into critiquing, criticizing, examining yourself in the mirror, most often with kind of some sort of negative feedback to yourself.

Coach Jo 02:19

And that negative feedback sounds like it spirals down into this rabbit hole of negative self-talk and negative emotions and the stories that we say in our brain that keep happening to us. And the more you speak this in your brain, the more we just start living that way, right? you view yourself as a story in your head.

Coach Kim 02:37

Where have you noticed this, in conversations either, like we're going to talk about ourselves, but where have you noticed this in particular with clients? In client conversations?

Coach Jo 02:45

I’d say over the last decade working with clients, I have learned that most people don't deal with, like, a weight issue, they deal with a self-worth issue. Because once the self-worth issue is solved, then usually the weight issue gets solved alongside the process, right? Because it slows down the main process of losing weight because a lot of it's attached to perfectionism. And they're not good enough because they didn't do it perfect, or this way or that way. And then that just slows, like that, just slugs it right down to a slow halt.

Coach Kim 03:18

So, as you're saying that I'm like geez, you know, I've never thought about it specifically like that, which is why it's so good to have this conversation. For me when I think about, like, how my relationship with myself in the mirror. I've never looked at it as being related to perfectionism. But maybe that's what it is. You know, like at the root, maybe that's what it is. But definitely, the self-talk that comes with that is slow or self-defeating or self-sabotaging, you know, as a result.

Coach Jo 03:55

Yeah, exactly. I think self-sabotage is one of the number one symptoms of someone who deals with perfectionism, it’s just never good enough. And when they're, if someone's trying to go on any type of journey, and if they look at themselves in the mirror and they're having this battle with a mirror, it's always going to be some form of self-sabotage, negative self-talk, because they're not. They're not what they think, as in their image in their head is perfect.

Coach Kim 04:16

Yea, true. So where have you struggled with your own reflection, appreciating your body, being able to recognize, yeah, just the way you feel about your body, when you look in the mirror?

Coach Jo 04:28

You know it I think for me, it started like maybe like most girls, maybe not like most girls, but it started with the scale, actually. And the scale was always in front of the mirror in the bathroom growing up. And I was raised that every morning, you're supposed to get on the scale and see how much you weigh. As a woman. I, my brother never had to do that. But I had to do that. And I probably did not have to do that. But I thought I had to do that. Because you know, that's how my mother was raised, maybe. And I don't look at it as...