My journey with body positivity is ever evolving, developing and changing. I’ve been thinner than I am now and bigger than I am now and at every stage I’ve had to relearn how to love my body. It's been extremely difficult but equally as empowering and there are few significant moments that I have changed my world - and I hope they help to change yours too.
Grace Victory
You have the permission to eat whatever you want.
For me personally, food and body image work hand in hand. Both the beauty industry and the diet industry make millions every year benefiting on people’s insecurities and the socially developed world that we all hate ourselves. We are conditioned to count calories, work out so we can eat guilt free, replace food with shakes and so on and so on. But understanding that every single person no matter their size has the permission to eat whatever they want and whatever they fancy is truly powerful stuff. Our bodies are wonderful, clever things that can communicate to us what it needs - but only if we let it. Food should be satisfying and joyess and ignoring that hunger is ignoring something that literally keeps you alive. No matter what you’re eating that shouldn’t bare judgement or shame. Contrary to popular belief but eating food is actually normal, restricting and counting every calorie isn’t.
It’s ok to have fat or extra fat or extra extra fat.
Fat is just a descriptor like slim, tall or petite, but unfortunately society has attached negative connotations with fat which has now made it feel like its a dirty word. Spoiler alert: it isn’t. Its okay to have more fat than what’s deemed acceptable and it doesn’t make you any less of a human. No matter what we look like we are all worthy of love, respect and kindness.
Body positivity also includes non-able bodies.
The body positive movement is a safe place for ALL marginalised bodies - not just fat bodies. This includes the disabled who are often over looked and disregarded in society.
Self care is imperative to happiness
Up until summer 2016, I didn’t even know what self care was and now I lean on it every single day. Self care to me is about recognising and meeting your own needs - as if you’re taking care of your child self or your best friend. Self care stems far beyond a face mask or a pedicure. It can mean getting enough sleep and learning when to say no. When your mind is in a relaxed and clear state you are less likely to hear unwell and unkind thoughts about your body.
It's normal to still have bad body image days.
We are ALL brainwashed into believing we need to look a certain way, so its normal to wake up somedays and not like what you see - those are the days you must practice even more self care than normal. Body positivity is literally unlearning all the things we dislike about our bodies and that takes time.
Number’s don’t equate to worth
Whether you’re a size 8 or a size 28, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is how you treat people and how you treat yourself. Are you kind? Are you trustworthy? Are you hard working? There are so many other traits to a human that we all should be working on. Your core self is far more valuable than anything else.
