Ready to change the way you and your loved ones feel about yourself? Follow these 6 suggestions!
Have Respect For All Bodies
Fighting for body positivity means learning to reframe your way of thinking regarding all bodies. It takes a lot of work to really become fully and unconditionally accepting of every kind of body type. Actively combat body shaming, judging, labeling, or criticizing by reminding the loved ones in your home that every body is beautiful and deserves respect.
Don’t Label “Fat” As “Bad”
Some fat is healthy. Too much fat can be unhealthy. Each body is different and unique with its own levels of health which are specific to that one person. Society has created a stigma around body fat to immediately assign “fat” as being “bad” because it is both unattractive and unhealthy. People can be genetically predisposed to being heavier. That is because every body is different. Help your loved ones recognize that unless we know someone personally, we cannot judge their lifestyle. Remind them not to judge a book by it’s cover just because society says it’s a “bad” cover.
Embrace “Beautiful” As A Universal Term
Why should the term “beautiful” be so selective? Work with your loved ones to recognize that everything in life is beautiful in its own special way. Beautiful can be applied to the good and the bad. When we look hard enough we can find beauty in everything. Combine practices of finding things beautiful with practices of finding gratitude. Gratitude can be found for all experiences and things in life “good” and “bad”.
Don’t Body Shame, Body Check, Or Criticize Yourself
Young children are not born with an idea of hating themselves or thinking there is something wrong with their bodies. Until they learn that there is a perceived notion of what makes one body “better” or more “wanted” than others, they love themselves unconditionally. One of the places children discover this sort of negativity the quickest is in the home from the way their family talks. Avoid spending time in the mirror criticizing your appearance, parts of your body, or the way you look. To change body positivity you have to live body positivity.
Change Your Perception On Imperfections
Part of living body positivity is truly accepting that there is no such thing as “perfect”. Therefore, there is no such thing as “imperfect”. Cellulite, stretch marks, being too thin, being too overweight, freckles, scars…whatever the perceived imperfection is, change your perception to see it as being a natural part of who you are.
Encourage Natural Beauty
The makeup, beauty, cosmetic, and fashion industry makes billions of dollars a year telling men and women they aren’t beautiful enough; however, they would be more beautiful by using specific products or wearing specific clothes. Encourage the choice of being beautiful by your own definition.
