This is The Right Way To Love Your Body
Here's the good news. You don't need to make a public declaration to the world that you love everything about your body! Feeling deep and authentic love for your body might be different than you think. Here's what 'loving' your body is about.
1. Knowing there's no 'right' way to love your body
A catch-22! We're each so different. Plus our body experiences in the world are different. For some, being able to wear a bikini to the beach confidently and singing from the rooftops how much you love your body is it. But for others, there's no way you'd feel comfortable in a bikini! This doesn't mean you don't love your body, it just means you don't feel comfortable wearing a bikini! And the love you feel toward your body is more of a quiet inner-feeling. There's no right or wrong.
2. Knowing you won't love your body all of the time.
There's a good chance you may feel like your body has let you down at some time in life! We're human. The most important thing is to try not to beat yourself up. It may help to think of your body trying its best to support you. The pain you feel, the sadness these are all ways your body is trying to tell you that you need attention and compassion. Be kind to you during these times try to work through this with your body together.
3. It's treating yourself the way you would a friend
Imagine if you recorded the inner-dialogue you have with your body, how would it sound? A right way love your body it is to think about it if it were your best friend. What would you do with your BFF? How would you talk to each other and listen to each other's needs? Be your body's BFF.
4. It's recognising the way your body functions
There's a saying 'function over form' which means to try to celebrate the ways your body functions to support you over how it looks on the outside. Try this exercise, where you acknowledge the useful things your body does to assist you with those body parts you're most critical about.
for example
'my nose helps to filter the air I breathe.'
'body fat keeps me warm and protects my inner body when I get knocked or fall over.'
'my eyes help to communicate how I'm feeling with others'
5. It's protecting your body with diligence
You'll hear me chatter about this a lot! But a big part of loving your body is protecting if from those external influences that can affect how you think about it. The kinds of media you view or walking away from negative body-related conversations are some big ones to think about. Be the guardian and protector of your body image.
Image credit: Matthew Henry
