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You might have heard the term ‘body positivity’, but what exactly does it mean? Essentially, body positivity is the belief that everyone should feel great about their body, despite what society tells us is the ‘perfect’ body. To practice body positivity it can be helpful to set a few goals. Here are a few ideas to try out in 2022.

 

1 . Use positive affirmations everyday

 

In 2022, challenge yourself to express positive affirmations everyday. What exactly are positive affirmations? These are positive statements designed to make you feel amazing, and avoid negative thought patterns. There are plenty of positive affirmations which focus on the body specifically. Here are some examples taken from 80Twenty Nutrition:

 

• ‘I am perfect and complete just the way I am.
• There is more to life than worrying about my weight. I’m ready to experience it.
• My body is a gift, I treat it with love and respect.
• My opinion of myself is the only one that counts.’

 

2. Ditch the critical talk

 

It’s easy to get caught up in critical self-talk, before you know it you’re thinking so many negative thoughts about your body. Criticizing yourself is never helpful, and before long it can really affect your mental health. When you experience a self-critical thought, simply observe the thought without judgment, and then let it go. Replace the thought with something you love about yourself. It doesn’t have to be about appearance specifically, instead, think about all the awesome things that your body can do for you.

 

3. Reevaluate your social media feeds

 

Social media should be a positive experience, but it doesn’t always end up like that. It’s important to only follow accounts that make you feel good. If there are any publications or people that make you feel bad about yourself, it’s best to unfollow them right away. In 2022 make it your mission to go through your social media accounts, and get rid of anything that isn’t serving you.

 

Once you’ve had a little clean up, you’ll feel much better. If looking at social media is making you feel bad in general, don’t be afraid to deactivate your accounts and take a break.

 

4. Self-care goals

 

The new year is the perfect time to set yourself some brand new self-care goals. There are plenty of self-care practices that can help you to honor your body. Here are a few examples to give you some inspiration:

 

• Treat yourself to a massage or aromatherapy every now and then.
• Take long baths with plenty of essential oils and candles.
• Try a fun exercise activity whether it’s a dance class or a walk in the forest.
• Start a daily yoga practice, these stretches will help to boost your endorphin levels.

 

5. Eat your favorite foods

 

Body positivity isn’t about a restrictive diet, it’s about letting yourself enjoy the foods you love. Eating healthy is important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have delicious treats too. In 2022 make sure that you treat yourself to plenty of tasty foods, from homemade bread dipped in Olive Oil  to burgers and dirty fries. Why not try experimenting with a few new recipes? There are so many ways to have fun with food!

 

If you’re keen to learn some new recipes, apps are a great place to start. Food apps aren’t just a great place for recipes, you can also get plenty of tips and tricks to improve your cooking.

 

6. Body positive resources

 

Sometimes we could all do with a little inspiration, and there are so many body positive resources out there. From books to podcasts and apps, make a start with these:

 

Yes & Body Politics: 

This podcast is all about empowering people, and talking about body positivity. Here you’ll find many different topics including feminism, fashion, self esteem, pressures, and more.

 

Eat The Rules:

Are you looking to break free of societal standards? Then ‘Eat The Rules’ is the podcast for you. Eat body shame and learn how you can start living your best life. Every week Summer interviews body image experts, here you’ll learn about everything from self-worth to size acceptance.

 

7. Ditch old clothing

 

Are you hanging onto old clothing that doesn’t fit you anymore? Keeping clothing that’s too small can end up making us feel bad. In 2022, make it your mission to declutter your wardrobe. You can get rid of anything that you don’t want by selling it or donating it to a thrift store. Once you’ve decluttered you can purchase new things that are the perfect fit.

 

8. Keep a body positive journal

 

Keeping a journal is a great way to practice self-care and express yourself. You can use a body positive journal in many different ways including:

 

• Use your journal to write down what you are grateful for about your body.
• Write down positive affirmations.
• Set health goals to look after your body.
• Schedule in exercise classes.
• Write down new yummy recipes.

 

9. Join a community

 

Joining a body positive community is a great way to connect with other people and share knowledge. You’ll be able to find body positive communities on sites like Facebook or Meetup. To get started check out ‘The Body Positive’ community, here you’ll find plenty of stories, and support. There are plenty of advantages to joining a body positive community including:

 

• A great place to meet like-minds.
• You can learn new things about body positivity.
• Some groups also run meet-ups.

 

10. Share the positivity

 

Practicing body positivity isn’t just about yourself. It’s about spreading positivity to others. Give plenty of compliments to your friends and family, we all feel insecure sometimes, but receiving a lovely compliment can be a great boost!

Using these ten ideas you’ll improve your body positivity in the new year. Remember, it’s hard to feel positive about your body all of the time. Give yourself a little time, and keep practicing positive affirmations everyday. With plenty of positive affirmations, you’ll start to feel beautiful every day.