This post is syndicated from Blonde Sartorial. Read the full post here.
Body positivity – the acceptance and appreciation of all body types – is pretty much everywhere nowadays. From Ivy Park’s gender-inclusive, age positive, body positive AW17 campaign to the relatively recent release of 50 shades of concealer by Fenty Beauty, the body positivity movement is spreading farther and wider and giving women everywhere the confidence to accept and embrace who they are.
I am a tall, skinny, blonde-haired, blue-eyed white girl so it might seem strange for me to be talking about this subject but I believe body positivity goes hand in with body image and confidence, a term relating to an individual’s perception of the attractiveness of their body.
Whereas the body my mother gave me means I’m privileged enough to have never experienced issues relating to body positivity or a lack thereof, body confidence is definitely something I’ve struggled with. And, when my love for my body isn’t exactly in full bloom, I have a treasure chest of tricks I use to stay strong.
Ways to Cope
Treat your body with love. Eat well. Do some exercise [make sure you choose an activity you enjoy doing]. But don’t do these things to be thinner. Do them to be healthier. Obviously treat yourself to chocolate/wine/whatever takes your fancy from time to time but making healthier choices the majority of time will reap in so many benefits.
Cleanse. Social media is by no means the sole cause of body image issues but it can most certainly be a contributing factor. I’m not saying delete it, but if you’re having a particularly insecure week it can be incredibly beneficial to take some time away from it all. Another great thing to do is unfollowing any accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Instead, fill your feed with people and content that make you feel powerful and like you can take on the whole damn world.
Forgive yourself. It sometimes feels like body positivity and the concept of loving yourself are being shoved down your throat but there’s nothing wrong with you just because you’re not head over heels in love with the way you look right now. Everyone gets insecure. Everyone has breakdowns. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Accept that this is the way you feel in this moment and that it’s okay. There’s always tomorrow to be a badass bitch.