By Kristen Donia —
Earlier this summer we talked about body neutrality and this month we’re taking a closer look at easy ways to become more body neutral in our everyday lives. All it takes is four steps, then – rinse & repeat, over & over.
Acknowledge Negative Self Talk
We want to start by noticing the thoughts that come up. How often do they occur? What are they regarding? A certain part of your body, the way in which you do a certain thing, etc? This noticing will allow you to learn more about where these thoughts come from so you can start to make subtle adjustments.
Dig Deeper
Notice if there is a pattern to your thoughts. Do they come up at the same time each day, when you’re doing a certain activity or around a certain crowd of people?
Example: If you’re consistently critical of yourself each morning when getting dressed, this could be an opportunity to post positive affirmations to your mirror, or select certain clothes that make you feel awesome in your body.
Find Neutrality
What part of your body do you find yourself focusing negatively on? What does that part of your body do for you each day? What can you do to focus on the ways in which this area of your body helps you each day?
Example: My arms are fat.
Neutral: My arms do so much for me each day. They allow me to eat and nourish my body, hug my loved ones, and play my favorite sports & games, read, write, and communicate.
Seeing this neutrality brings you to a purpose. A space of contemplation and understanding that even though you may have a hard time accepting certain parts of your body for what it is (as many of us do) you can still see that apart from that, your body is useful and purposeful.
Practice Makes Perfect
The more we notice our daily habits and what we give energy to, the easier it can be to form a more body neutral way of looking at our bodies. This consistency builds on itself and what used to be difficult to do, now becomes second nature to us. This increases feel good feelings about our bodies and helps us to practice more self-love and acceptance each day and who doesn’t want more of that? What are your favorite ways to transition body negative talk?
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Kristen Donia is a freelance writer living in a tiny house she built in sunny Southern Oregon. She has a Bachelors Degree in Education and has dedicated her life to studying and writing about empathy, vulnerability and enriching the human experience.