5 Ways to Celebrate Body Positivity This Summer
The pressure to have the “perfect body” is real. Especially in the summer, when temperatures rise and people are showing more skin, it can be easy to start comparing your body to others’. Fitness programs for achieving a “beach body” are everywhere, and Photoshopped images of “perfect” bodies are thrown in our faces.
It’s easy to start hating your body, but there is another way. The body positivity movement invites you to celebrate your body, no matter what it looks like.
What does “body positive” mean?
Body positivity is about having love and appreciation for your body regardless of its shape, size, age, or appearance. We’re all conditioned, from a young age, to hate our bodies when they don’t look like the bodies we see in the media. There is a societal expectation that we should be skinny, but not too skinny. Curvy, but not fat. Fit, but not too muscular. The list goes on.
It’s normal to be dissatisfied with some aspect of your body; most people are. But these unreasonable body expectations cause us to forget to appreciate all of the wonderful things that our bodies allow us to do. Body positivity is about loving and accepting our bodies exactly the way they are, regardless of the “imperfection” that we see in them.
Body positivity asserts that we all deserve to feel great about our body image. Celebrating your body is for everyone.
Being judgmental about your body can lead to serious risks and consequences for your mental health. For example, people with a negative body image are more likely to have low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders.
5 tips to accept and have compassion for your body
This summer, many of us might find ourselves making derogatory comments toward our bodies when we look at ourselves in the mirror. Some of us might feel tempted to forgo that beach trip to avoid having to wear a swimsuit.
But there are ways for you to practice body positivity and learn to have compassion for -- and celebrate -- your body. Here are 5 simple tips to start.
Practice affirmations
It may sound corny, but repeating positive affirmations can be a great way to start loving your body. You may want to even consider saying them out loud to yourself, in front of a mirror. Consciously changing your self-talk can help make it less likely that you’ll beat yourself up when you’re feeling bad about your body.
Some affirmations to start with are:
My body is doing the best it can to take care of me.
Beauty is so much more than skin-deep.
My body deserves to be taken care of and nourished.
I am grateful to my body for what it is able to do for me.
My body is unique and doesn’t need to look like other bodies to be lovable.
Hit the unfollow button
Popular media, especially social media, is flooded with altered and filtered images of the “perfect” body. The problem is that nobody looks this way in real life. It’s so damaging that some countries have even implemented laws that require people to disclose when they’ve altered their face or body in a photo in any way.
Unfollow anyone on social media that makes you feel bad about your body, even if this harm isn’t intentional. For example, if you can’t help but compare your body to a social media influencer you follow, then don’t feel guilty about unfollowing them. Your mental health comes first.
Try body neutrality
For some people, body positivity can be a difficult goal. If you find it too challenging to be happy about your body all the time, then try body neutrality.
Unlike body positivity, body neutrality doesn’t focus on loving everything about your body. Instead, this movement guides people to simply accept their bodies. Body neutrality is centered more around the functionality and health of your body than its appearance.
For example, body positivity might invite you to love your legs, cellulite and all. Using body neutrality, you don’t have to love your legs -- but you could still appreciate them for allowing you to walk.
Move mindfully
Focusing on health, instead of appearance of thinness, helps many people to practice body positivity. Instead of forcing yourself to exercise in order to lose weight, try moving mindfully in ways that feel good and nurturing to you.
This isn’t to downplay the importance of physical exercise for a balanced and healthy lifestyle. But focusing only on the aesthetic benefits of exercise might lead you to feel unsatisfied with your body’s appearance or size.
While you’re exercising, pay mindful attention to how your body feels. Appreciate your body for allowing you to move in these ways. Listen to what your body needs, and move in ways that feel good.
Surround yourself with body positive people
In many ways, we are who we spend time with. If everyone around you is constantly complaining about their bodies or tearing themselves down, then that type of attitude might be more likely to rub off on you, too.
Strong social support is an important part of good mental health. But pay close attention to how you feel about your body after spending time with the people in your life, especially if they don’t practice body positivity. If you notice them making negative comments about their own body, gently bring their awareness to it.
You could say something like, “Hey, I know it feels normal for us to hate and talk trash about our bodies. But let’s do something different this summer. I want to feel good about myself, and feel confident when we go to the beach. I’m tired of being so hard on my body. Would you like to join me?”
If you believe you need a deeper exploration of your body image, speak to a therapist
If you’re having a very hard time accepting your body as it is, then it could help to see a therapist about it. At North Star, we have therapists on our team who have years of personal and professional experience in helping people develop a healthy, nurturing, and positive relationship with their bodies.
Get in touch with us to schedule a free consultation. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
