Do This Quick 1 Minute Activity to Improve Your Body Image
The journey to feeling positive about your body doesn't have to involve a substantial life-changing to-do list.
Small things make a big difference. For example, try this activity every day. It will help build a positive body mindset improving how you think and feel about yourself.
Say One Positive Body Affirmation (aloud) Every Day
It's easy to fall into a cycle of making negative and disparaging comments about our bodies! So the first and vital step to building a positive body image is to begin to redirect any negative body self-talk.
A body affirmation is a positive, encouraging statement about your body. For example:
"My tender arms, hold and comfort the people I love"
"My brain is storing my fondest memories"
Here's the activity, try to say one positive affirmation about a part of your body every day.
There's a couple of different ways to get started with body affirmations.
- Make a list of positive body affirmation statements and place them on your bedside table. Read one when you get up each morning.
- Write your body affirmation prompts on sticky notes and stick them on the bathroom mirror. Read one when you see them.
- Brainstorm your body affirmations with a friend, writing affirmations together is a great way to get fresh ideas.
- Get a body affirmations book or zine (check out our zine, Body Affirmations, Truths on Why Your Body Is the Best)
Body Affirmation Tips: Focus on Body Function
If you'd like to write body affirmations, here's a couple of extra tips.
- Focus on the things your body can do (body functions) as opposed to its appearance. Focusing on body appearance can be problematic to positive body image. The body changes and adapts all the time as we age and go through different life stages. But our body does so many amazing things over and above its appearance.
- Try writing affirmations for body parts you're most critical about and begin to appreciate them more, functionally, rather than how it looks aesthetically.
Take bums, for example -- a criticized body part with an essential function for comfort.
"I am grateful to my bum, for giving me two soft cushions to sit on"
Yep, those bum cheeks dimply, small, big, flat, round whatever form they take, they are crucial to feeling comfortable when we sit down.
Function over feature!
Once you get into the swing of it, it's a fun thing to do. There are all sorts of wacky but awesome body functions to explore!
Your turn. Try writing body affirmations in the comments below, and I'll have a go too.
