Steps Towards Body Positivity
By: bee mtz
We take part in #NEDAwareness week by talking about Body Positivity.
Content warning: eating disorders
We’re leaving the discussion about eating disorders to the pros at the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), where you can find resources to get screened, get help, and get involved. In this post, we will focus on body positivity as a mindset that benefits our self-esteem and well-being.
While body positivity is often seen as reclaiming a social construct of beauty, it’s truly about taking care and appreciating our bodies as the precious and unique marvels of nature they are. As author Lindsay King-Miller says in this Bitch Media article:
“We should affirm our bodies for what they can do, how they can feel, the tribulations they’ve survived, and the amazing minds they carry around, without having to first justify their existence by looking pretty. ”
Compassion
The new campaign of the Endangered Bodies movement, aptly titled “Love Your Body”, promotes self-compassion. When we choose to accept our unique features (our skin tone, scars, belly, freckles, and more) and make an effort to love them, regardless of whether they make us feel attractive or not, we are practicing self-compassion.
Let’s try to stop comparing the way we look today with the way we looked in the past. Let’s try to stop comparing ourselves to others. It’s okay to feel excluded from beauty standards, but let’s not let it define us. That is what self-compassion is about.
It’s okay not to feel #flawsome everyday. The effort we take to get there is just as valuable. That too is practicing self-compassion.
Self-Care
We take so much care of our loved ones. Self-care is no different than that. Why not do the same for our bodies? Be patient. Be resilient. Change doesn’t happen overnight.
The media we consume is a double-edged sword. Even #fitspo is downright intimidating. It’s important to be mindful of the reasons why we are working out.
For example, healthy living is how the creators of Fitness Blender make their living. Their livelihood doesn’t rely on being in shape, but being in shape is something that happens with the kind of work they do. They make a point to share their story, which includes overcoming an eating disorder. They also share resources to remind us that food should be nourishment, and working out should be aimed to gain “health, strength, and functionality”.
At its core, self-care is doing things that make us feel more comfortable and aligned with our authentic selves. That could be wearing yoga pants, going to therapy every week, dying your hair awesome colors, changing careers, or working out!
Empowerment
In this podcast episode of Feminist Current, interviewee Lindsay Kite explains that
“…Real empowerment feels a little bit more like what comes from within you; what you believe you can contribute to the world when you can stop yourself from being held back by the voice in your head that says, ‘You’re not worthwhile, you’re not valuable, until you fit this certain ideal or until you do this certain thing’.”
When we make a habit out of loving and taking care of who we are and what makes us… us… we have an easier way of finding a purpose, and we seek a way of achieving it. Decluttering helps us find balance in the stimuli around us so that we can focus on the changes we need to make towards a healthy lifestyle and body positivity. Check out our previous post on it!
Pride
Imagine everyone loving their body, taking care of it, doing what they love for the sake of authenticity and nothing else. Pride is the logical outcome. Guess what? You’re capable of it!
It’s a long and winding road, but as always, it’s not a road you have to take alone. It’s a path where steps back are allowed, as long as you keep reaching out. It’s a way for ourselves to #staystrong.
