Body positivity is a movement that encourages people to accept and appreciate their bodies, regardless of their shape, size, color, or appearance. Body positivity is not about denying the reality of your body, or ignoring the health and wellness aspects of it. Rather, it is about embracing your body as it is, and celebrating its uniqueness and functionality.
Body positivity can have many benefits for your mental and physical health, such as:
- Improving your self-esteem and confidence
- Reducing your stress and anxiety levels
- Enhancing your mood and happiness
- Promoting healthy behaviors and habits
- Preventing or recovering from eating disorders and body dysmorphia
- Fostering positive relationships with yourself and others
However, achieving body positivity can be challenging, especially in a society that constantly bombards us with unrealistic and harmful standards of beauty and perfection. That’s why it is important to incorporate body positivity into your daily life, and practice it consistently and consciously.
Here are some tips on how to do that:
1. Challenge negative thoughts and beliefs
One of the first steps to becoming more body positive is to identify and challenge the negative thoughts and beliefs that you have about your body. These may be influenced by your past experiences, your family, your peers, the media, or the culture that you live in. Some examples of negative thoughts and beliefs are:
- I am not good enough because of how I look
- I need to lose weight or change my appearance to be happy or successful
- I should feel ashamed or guilty for eating or enjoying food
- I should hide or cover up my flaws or imperfections
- I should compare myself to others and strive to look like them
These thoughts and beliefs are not true, and they only harm your self-image and wellbeing. To challenge them, you can use some of the following strategies:
- Recognize when you have a negative thought or belief, and label it as such
- Ask yourself if the thought or belief is based on facts or feelings, and if it is helpful or harmful
- Replace the negative thought or belief with a more positive and realistic one, or with a question that challenges its validity
- Repeat the positive thought or belief to yourself, or write it down and read it often
- Seek support from a trusted friend, family member, or professional, who can help you challenge and change your negative thoughts and beliefs
2. Express gratitude and appreciation
Another way to become more body positive is to express gratitude and appreciation for your body and what it does for you. Your body is not just an object that you look at, but a living and breathing organism that allows you to experience life. Your body is capable of amazing things, such as:
- Sensing and perceiving the world around you
- Moving and performing various activities and tasks
- Communicating and expressing yourself
- Learning and creating new things
- Healing and recovering from injuries and illnesses
- Feeling and experiencing emotions and sensations
To express gratitude and appreciation for your body, you can use some of the following strategies:
- Make a list of all the things that you love or like about your body, or that your body does for you, and read it often
- Thank your body for each of its parts and functions, either verbally or mentally, or by writing a letter or a note to it
- Treat your body with kindness and respect, by giving it enough rest, nourishment, hydration, and care
- Pamper your body with activities that make it feel good, such as massage, yoga, meditation, or aromatherapy
- Celebrate your body’s achievements and milestones, such as completing a workout, reaching a goal, or overcoming a challenge
3. Surround yourself with positivity
A third way to become more body positive is to surround yourself with positivity, both in terms of the people and the messages that you expose yourself to. The people and the messages that you interact with can have a significant impact on your body image and self-esteem, either positively or negatively. Therefore, it is important to choose them wisely, and to avoid or limit those that are toxic or harmful.
To surround yourself with positivity, you can use some of the following strategies:
- Seek out and connect with people who are supportive, respectful, and encouraging of you and your body, such as your friends, family, or community members
- Join or follow online groups, pages, or accounts that promote body positivity, diversity, and inclusion, and that share inspiring and uplifting stories, images, and content
- Unfollow or block online groups, pages, or accounts that spread body negativity, shame, or criticism, or that trigger your insecurities or comparisons
- Filter or limit your exposure to media that portrays unrealistic or idealized standards of beauty and perfection, such as magazines, TV shows, or advertisements
- Consume or create media that celebrates and showcases different types of bodies and appearances, such as books, podcasts, or blogs
4. Compliment yourself and others
A fourth way to become more body positive is to compliment yourself and others, both in terms of your physical and non-physical attributes. Compliments are a form of positive feedback that can boost your self-esteem and confidence, as well as your mood and happiness. Compliments can also strengthen your relationships with yourself and others, and create a more positive and supportive environment.
To compliment yourself and others, you can use some of the following strategies:
- Look at yourself in the mirror, and say something nice or kind to yourself, such as “You look beautiful today” or “You are amazing”
- Write down or say aloud three things that you are proud of or grateful for about yourself, such as “I am proud of my creativity” or “I am grateful for my courage”
- Give yourself a reward or a treat for something that you have done or achieved, such as “You deserve this chocolate cake” or “You earned this spa day”
- Notice and appreciate something positive or admirable about someone else, such as “You have a lovely smile” or “You are very talented”
- Express your admiration or appreciation to someone else, either verbally or in writing, such as “You are an inspiration to me” or “Thank you for being there for me”
- Be sincere and genuine in your compliments, and avoid any backhanded or sarcastic remarks
5. Embrace and celebrate diversity
A fifth way to become more body positive is to embrace and celebrate diversity, both in terms of your own body and the bodies of others. Diversity is the recognition and appreciation of the differences and variations that exist among people, such as their shape, size, color, appearance, ability, or identity. Diversity is not something to be feared or rejected, but something to be valued and respected.
To embrace and celebrate diversity, you can use some of the following strategies:
- Recognize and acknowledge that there is no one right or wrong way to look or be, and that beauty and worth are not defined by any external standards or criteria
- Respect and honor your own body and its uniqueness, and do not try to change or conform it to fit any expectations or norms
- Respect and honor the bodies of others and their uniqueness, and do not judge or criticize them based on their appearance or characteristics
- Learn and educate yourself about the different types of bodies and experiences that exist in the world, and the challenges and issues that they face
- Support and advocate for the rights and needs of people who are marginalized or oppressed because of their bodies, such as people of color, people with disabilities, or LGBTQ+ people.
