We (myself included) speak about being body confident and feeling good and happy about your body. We speak about having a positive body image and working on creating a positive relationship with your body and self. However as much as I still want this for all women there is something I actually want more for them. To get to a point where our bodies are the last things we think of. To get to a state of body neutrality, working towards a place where we respect our bodies but don’t give too much energy to positive/negative thoughts about it. It’s about taking the pressure away of needing to love your body as you move away from not hating it.
Loving your body can seem like a big step so finding this place of accepting it can seem easier as you work towards love. For some women this is the final destination where we acknowledge our body is our body but we are more than it.
For me it is about reaching a place of peace with your body. When you stop obsessing over her, stop fighting her and stop trying to change her. It’s about getting to a point where you kind of stop thinking about how you look or how your body is. You have an acceptance of what your body looks like, what your body can do and how you feel about it all. But then you can continue with your day with all this in the background. You create fitness, health and lifestyle goals away from your body image and more for you as a whole person. This can be a more empowering mental change that body confidence, this feeling.
To be able to look in a mirror at what you are wearing and it be just that, a glance in the mirror.
To be happy and content with all of you and go about your day without thinking about your body.
Your body does so much more for you than just look good. Your body supports you. Your body moves. Your body allows you to travel and see the world. Your body helps you show love and kindness to others. Your body is with you all of the time. This and more is what your body does.
How to start on this journey?
Start working on your mindset first. We are trying to reach acceptance here so I want you have that in mind as you progress through the steps.
1/ Positive thinking
Think about 1 positive thing that your body can do or is or has done a day. No more just 1 and jot it down. When you struggle look back at what you have written previously to remind yourself.
2/ Gratitude
What are you grateful for? In life, in work, in your day to day and in what your body has done for you. Again write these down no pressure just write.
3/ Understand
Understand why you have negative thoughts, where have they come from. Whose ideals are you trying to reach? Why do you feel this way and why do you feel you have to change? Again write them down there is no right or wrong answers. This is just to get you looking at the bigger picture.
4/ Non aesthetic goals
If you took away aesthetics from your life why would you workout? Why would you eat the way you do? Would things change or would they stay the same. What goals can you bring into your fitness and lifestyle routine that have no relevance on how you look?
5/ Reflection and Nourishment
Throughout all of these spend time reflecting on how you feel, what you want to achieve. Allow yourself the time to do this, allow yourself time to nourish yourself so you don’t burn out. It’s not a race it’s a lifestyle.
When we stop spending all of our time thinking about the way we look it frees up more time to think about other things in our lives. Reaching a place of peace and neutral ground when it comes to body image will free up your mind to fill with a load of amazing things. Your body is so much more than looking good your body helps you be YOU.
Love Vicki xxx
