Body Positivity: Embracing and Celebrating Your Unique Self
Can you honestly say that you:
- Like seeing yourself without clothes?
- Value your body’s ability to have babies and create life?
- Understand the importance of touch and being touched?
If you answered “no” to any of these, you’re not alone. If you grew up in a family that focused a lot on physical appearance, you might have learned not to like your body. This could lead to problems like developing an eating disorder or using your weight to keep people away.
But here’s some good news: It’s never too late to make a change!
As a healing and leadership coach, I’m here to help you change negative thoughts and enjoy life. In this article, we’ll talk about how you learned to dislike your body and how you can learn to appreciate it.
First, let’s discuss how you see your body and where these beliefs started. This is important because just saying “love yourself” isn’t enough. You need to understand why you felt that way to challenge false and negative ideas.
3 Key Reasons Behind Body Hatred and How to Overcome Them
Some of us have hated our bodies for so long that we have never thought about the reasons behind it. And because we don’t know the causes of our pain, we keep finding ourselves in patterns that are harmful to our bodies, minds, and souls.
Below are some common reasons why we may feel uncomfortable in our bodies.
Reason #1 – Being routinely teased for the appearance of your body.
Did you grow up with people who made fun of how your body looks all the time? They might say mean things or tease you about it regularly.
I remember as a teenager, my brothers would pull at my saddlebags and remind me how overweight I was. This constant criticism and teasing really hurt my feelings and made me feel bad about myself.
Maybe the folk in your family didn’t physically touch you. Perhaps they constantly made jokes or mean comments about the way you look. This can slowly chip away at how you feel about your body. It’s not a good feeling when others keep pointing out what they think is wrong with your appearance. Over time, it can make you doubt yourself and feel less confident about your body.
Reason #2 – Feeling uncomfortable with how your body works
Have you ever felt awkward or weird about your body’s natural functions? For instance, imagine someone having difficulty dealing with ejaculation or menstruation. It could also be a struggle with health issues that impact the body’s functioning.
On top of that, what if their parents were ashamed of discussing natural bodily functions? It could lead to feeling ashamed of one’s own body parts.
I will never forget the first time I started my menstrual period. I thought I was sick and needed to go to the hospital. Thankfully, a school nurse at my middle school taught me about how menstrual cycles work and how to wear maxi pads to prevent my clothes from getting stained.
Your body is meant to be a friend, not an enemy. When we treat it badly by eating too much or too little, hurting ourselves, or not taking good care of it, it's like agreeing with all the mean and hurtful things we tell ourselves.
Reason #3 – Being constantly reminded how your body falls short of the ideal
Society often tells us that we should look a certain way, and it can make us feel like we’re not good enough. For example, in magazines like Cosmopolitan, GQ, and Glamour, they always show people with bodies that don’t look like ours. That doesn’t do good to one’s body positivity but it helps publishers make lots of money. But I digress…
When I was a teenager, I used to cut out pictures of models with smaller breasts than me, hoping I could be taller and skinnier like them.
But guess what? That never happened.
Comparing yourself against others can make you start hating your own body. And when you don’t like your body, it can lead to doing things that hurt yourself, like eating bad food, eating too much or too little, not sleeping well, or even hurting yourself on purpose. It’s like trying to make the hurt and frustration go away.
In the next part, we’ll talk about how you can learn to love your body and start to feel better.
You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. But you won't discover this until you are willing to stop banging your head against the wall of shaming and caging and fearing yourself.
The Path to Self-Confidence and Happiness
Getting better and learning to like your body is a big journey. Body positivity means seeing your body for what it really is, not what others say it should be. Even though it might be hard, you can definitely do it.
Here are some important things to do as you move towards body positivity:
Be Kind to Yourself:
Think about how you talk to a friend who is having a tough time with their weight or body image. You’re gentle, understanding, and supportive. Do the same for yourself.
Remember, everyone has things about themselves that they don’t like, and that’s perfectly okay.
Get Help from Healing Professionals or Support Groups:
When we are knee deep in self-hatred, we can feel as if we are the only person who has or will ever struggle with insecurities. Talking to someone like a therapist, counselor or coach like myself can give you useful tools to deal with deep-seated issues about body positivity and start seeing yourself in a better way. Support groups like Food Addict Anonymous can also be helpful.
Say No to Unrealistic Beauty Standards:
Think about how everyone looks different, like the many shapes and sizes of fruits. Nobody expects an apple to look like a banana, right? It’s the same with people.
No one is perfect, and real beauty is found in our differences. Surround yourself with people who appreciate and love their bodies just the way they are. That inner confidence has a way of rubbing off on others.
When you take care of your body, it has a ripple effect of boosting your perception of self-worth, which in turn improves your overall confidence and well-being.
Celebrate Your Body’s Amazing Abilities:
Instead of dwelling on the things you don’t like or what you think is lacking in your body, try redirecting your attention towards what you admire and appreciate.
Do you like your bodies strength? What about your long and lean legs?How about how you could weather a 32 hour labor and delivery with your 9 lb baby? That takes some real power!
This simple mental switch of thinking about what your body has done can have a profound effect on your outlook, bringing positivity and gratitude to the forefront of your mind. It’s like a reset button for your perspective, allowing you to see the good in yourself.
Take Care of Yourself:
Make sure you do things that are good for you, like eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest is one of many wellness tips. Let’s dive into what that looks like practically.
Eat Well:
Imagine your body as a car. For it to run smoothly, you need to put good fuel in it. Eating well means giving your body the right kinds of food, like fruits, veggies, and other yummy things that make you feel good inside.
Need to eat healthy but are short on time? Try one of these tips.
Exercise:
Think of your body like a superhero training to be even stronger. Running, jumping, or even dancing around are like workouts for your superhero body. It helps you feel energized and keeps your body in top-notch shape.
Not really into high-impact activities? Try yoga, walking or one of these low-impact exercises.
Get Enough Rest:
Your body needs time to recharge, just like your favorite electronic toys (aka mobile phone) need a break. Sleeping and resting are like plugging in your body to make sure it’s ready for another exciting day.
>>Listen to my episode with sleep specialist Dr. Barry Krakow on the power of sleep.<<
When you do these things, it’s like giving your body a big hug. You’ll start to notice how strong and tough it is, just like a superhero. Taking care of yourself is a way to say, “Hey, I appreciate you, body, and I want you to feel good!”
The image below summarizes my tips. Next, I will share with you my final thoughts.
Final thoughts
Remember, learning to love yourself is not just about you. It can also inspire and help the people around you who might be struggling with their own feelings about their bodies. The journey might be tough, but it leads to a life full of self-love and acceptance.
Food for Thought…
I’m sharing this message because I know many of you might be having a tough time with how you feel about your body. If you need someone to talk to or guidance on your journey to feeling better about yourself, I’m here for you. You can schedule a chat with me.
Also, check out this episode from my entrepreneur podcast that goes deeper into not just body positivity, but how our past influences our present.
Remember, you’re not alone, and there’s hope for a future where you feel happier and more loving toward your body.
