We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Ok here we go – I’m NOT body positive. I’m not accepting of my own body. I struggle with self-confidence every single day. Back in January, I tried to rebrand my blog and Instagram to be body positive and support this movement. Then I kind of didn’t post much. I went back to my old comfortable posts of New York stoops and beautiful flowers.
I didn’t start sharing these posts because honestly didn’t know what to say. I’m barely starting my journey and I falsely felt like I couldn’t write about something without being “perfect” or at my end goal. But that’s exactly how I got where I am today. I’ve always had a black and white mentality. Either everything or nothing.
Last week I posted a photo on Instagram. I was nervous to post it but I knew I wanted to post more about body positivity. I was also nervous because I was sharing a product and I didn’t know how the brand would feel. But I did it! I was incredibly honest and shared how I was working towards body respect [a stepping stone to becoming body positive] and how you should take however long to get there. At first I got my standard response – friends saying something nice and encouraging. Then the brand reposted my photo and a flood of amazing comments came in. It made me realize that I need to start my body positive series here! And I’m starting out with a few tips for beginning your journey.
Find People Who Look Like You: As someone who grew up buried in magazines, I didn’t see a single curve. Curvy/plus size models were not a thing like they are today [well we are getting there]. Now it’s easier to find women who like me by browsing Instagram [so many curvy fashion bloggers!] and sometimes even in magazines.
Learn: Utilize resources like books and podcasts. I started my journey by listening to the Food Psych Podcast – I still listen to it by the way. There are also tons of great books. I recommend Body Respect and Health At Every Size.
Surround Yourself With Like-Minded Friends: When we spend all of our time with people who bash their bodies, we tend to do the same. Try to find friends who focus on other aspects of life.
Those are a few tips for starting out. I’m still very early in my journey. My motto for this chapter of my life should really be progress not perfection. I definitely plan to share more on this topic in the future!
