- This post was written by a contributor -
Body
Positivity was a concept founded by fat women of colour many moons
ago, and has taken off in a huge way since then. It centres around
the basic fact that we all deserve to feel great about our bodies,
regardless of how popular culture views the ‘ideal’ body. It’s
not always easy to achieve a positive body image; many of us fall
into patterns of being overly self-critical. To free ourselves from
these negative thought cycles and practices, we need an effective
plan!
Positive
mantras. Yes,
a lot of people might find repeating positive mantras a bit cheesy,
but trust us, it’s worth a go! Iskra
Lawrence once
said, ‘ Speak to your body in a loving way. It’s the only one
you’ve got, it’s your home, and it deserves respect.’ Makes
sense, right? So, try repeating positive mantras to yourself every
day. You could do this while looking in the mirror, or while you’re
simply sitting quietly by yourself. Repeat them in your head, or
shout them out loud, whichever you prefer! Choose any kind of mantra
you like; you could say ‘I am beautiful,’ or, ‘I love my body’.
Or perhaps… ‘I am perfect the way I am.’
Be
kind. Be
kind to your body. This covers everything from eating healthier meals
now and again, to boosting your endorphins by dancing around your
bedroom! It’s not about dieting fads, it’s about kindness.
That kindness could equally be treating yourself to some ice-cream if
that’s what you crave that day. If it makes your body and mind feel
amazing to stay makeup-free, then do it. But then it might make you
feel fabulous to apply red lipstick and pop on a lovely vintage
dress! Whatever makes your body feel loved, expressed, happy and
nourished, that’s the right thing to do. Show your body that
kindness. Besides this, be sure to keep up with your health care
check-ups, whether it’s cervical screenings, dental checks or some
cute
Ray
Ban replacement lenses
for
your new prescription!
Ditch
the scales.
It’s not a crime to want to be healthy, but seeking health and
happiness through numbers on a scale rarely works. Focus instead on
positive changes. Whether it’s trying a new sport or learning how
to cook a new nutritious recipe, focus on activities that make you
feel empowered rather than judged. We are all guilty of judging
ourselves too harshly at times, and body positivity is about being
free
of
all that. As Jessica Ortner says, ‘you can’t hate yourself happy,
you can’t criticize yourself thin. Real change begins with
self-love.’
Read
the right things. There
are so many amazing books
about body positivity,
reading up within the genre is a great way to learn and feel
inspired. ‘The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical
Self-Love’ is an excellent example. In this book, activist and poet
Sonya Renee Taylor allows readers to make peace with their body
hang-ups and woes. Another awesome read is ‘Body Positive Power:
How to stop dieting, make peace with your body and live.’ In this
book, Megan Jayne Crabbe (aka the legend, @bodyposipanda) discusses
the true path to happiness, using her own experiences of previously
living with an eating disorder. Here you’ll get all the body
positivity tips
you
need to set yourself on the path to change.
So,
those are your tips to start on your body positive journey. Are you
ready and raring to go? Comment with any other tips you have! And a
little extra note here - do not feel guilty for any weight you gain
or energy you lose during lockdown. It’s a strange time, and nobody
will judge you. The important thing is you love yourself, no matter
what.
*
Post a comment