Every Body is a Good Body
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How we view our own body can influence our feelings of self-worth, how we think others view us, and our life experiences. If you find yourself stuck in a negative cycle when it comes to your body, there may be ways to improve the lens in which you view yourself.
The following is intended to serve as a list of strategies to support your journey to better health and self, but not to serve as a substitute for counseling provided by a mental health professional.
- Appreciate all that your body is capable of. Your body takes you places, it carries all of your organs. Try to remember all of the things your body does daily!
- Recognize negative self-talk. Remember that negative thoughts aren’t who we are. These thoughts are the results of our fears. Having compassion for ourselves can set us on the path of feeling positive thoughts.
- Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself like you do your closest and dearest friends.
- Make a list of the good things. What are the top 5 things you like about yourself that are not related to weight or appearance? What are your greatest skills? What would your closest friends say about you?
- Surround yourself with uplifting people. Keeping a positive mental attitude may be easier to achieve by keeping people around you who also are positive.
- Do something nice for yourself. Take a relaxing bath. Go out in nature. Get some much-needed rest.
- Give back to your community. Volunteering in your community is another great way to help you feel better about yourself, and bring positive change to others.
- Set boundaries. If you have family or friends who make unwanted comments about your body, set boundaries with them. Express to them how these comments affect you, and how you prefer they communicate with you.
- Take a break from social media. Recognize that what you see on social media very often does not reflect reality.
- Focus on daily positive affirmations. Write (1) positive affirmation on a post-it note and stick it to a place that’s within sight for the majority of your day, like your laptop, or the mirror in your bathroom. You can also save it to the lock screen of your phone. Whenever you feel negative self-talk starting, read this affirmation to remind yourself of your self-worth!
Body positive affirmations to consider for your post-it note:
- I deserve to be treated with love and respect by my mind.
- My body can do awesome things.
- It’s okay for me to like myself.
- I am nourishing my body with healthy food.
- I choose good health.