We wanted to start this year's Mindfulness Matters (formerly Mental Health Matters) series with a radical idea for 2021: love yourself. Positive thinking is always incredibly hard and thinking positively about your body is even harder. So some library staff and Teen Advisory Board members share their thoughts on body positivity below. Let us know how you love yourself and think about body positivity through the blog messenger!
Ash: Things to remember: body positivity is something that you will work on for the rest of your life. It doesn't happen overnight, so be kind with yourself. I have found that taking small steps makes the biggest impact. Sometimes I look in the mirror and tell myself that I'm worthy. Other times, I do my makeup for no one but myself. Find what makes you feel confident and roll with it! You got this.
Ashleigh: It’s a new year which means once again people are making their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. Uck!!! This year, let’s all make a change and instead work on building your confidence in your own body. Last year was rough for sure and I, like many others, found it hard to be confident in my own body. Just remember that you are enough no matter your size, gender, race, or sexual orientation. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.
Tesla: All my life someone has had a comment on my weight. It varied from people in high school who made me think I was overweight when I was actually the right size for my height to my family teasing me about my weight and comparing me to my sister. This began my love/hate relationship with food. It was my source of comfort when I felt like I was the ugliest person in the world, but it was also the thing that made me feel ugly. It took me a long time to realize I was giving power to those who had no right to say anything about how I look. I still struggle to love my body, it’s an everyday journey, but each day when I get up I remind myself that I am composed of those I love so I should love myself. I have my father’s nose, my mom’s blue eyes and fair skin and my grandmother’s hands. These are the things that help me love who I am.
Kris: I want to tell you that at some point you will wake up and be completely at ease with your body. But the reality is, there is no age or size or standard out there that suddenly puts you at complete ease with your body and how you view it. The reality is, it is up to you to decide whether or not you love yourself, warts and all, as it were.
That is a journey that has been a winding path for me, and for many others. But, I learned early in my life that no one else can love you, if you cannot love yourself. So don’t stress about being the perfect size or the perfect weight. Just keep working on making yourself feel good. In other words: Feel Yourself!
Ways that help me Feel Myself:
Fancy matching underwear
Curling my hair
Make up just for me
Self dance party with music at max volume
Amy: As a former ballet dancer and current ballet teacher, this is a very important topic for me. I struggled with anorexia as a teen. I'm definitely not in ballet shape now and struggle to accept my older body. It's a daily battle. I guess you could use these comments, as I'm not sure what else to say except: The struggle is real, and this is an important issue.
Stephanie: Loving myself and thinking positively about my body has always been difficult. During cheer and ballet I was told that my body was a tool and something that needed to be bent, broken, and sculpted to please others and I put it through hell trying to reach their unrealistic expectations. It took a long time to stop thinking that way and honestly sometimes I still do so I have to remind myself that there are a million different bodies out there and they are all stunningly beautiful. But I'll admit it is always easier to see the beauty and positivity in others than it is to see in myself. I know my body is my home no matter where I go and I'm still getting used to it as I get older. Here are my three things I do to love myself and my body: write on my mirror or leave sticky notes with positive messages, remind myself that clothing sizes are wacky and unpredictable depending on the brand, take relaxing showers with all of my favorite bath and skincare products.
Shayla: Body positivity for myself and many other people is definitely a challenge. It's a constant everyday thing for me. If I say something negative about myself and my body then I try to fight it back with double the good things about it... which sometimes isn't super easy! I truly think that everyone, in one way or another, struggles with body positivity at some point in their lifetime.
Krushi: For me, body positivity is realizing that I deserve to treat myself and that my body takes care of me. You shouldn't neglect or harm yourself to fit in, instead, respect yourself for the fact that you are alive and generally the amazing feats of the human body. Worth shouldn't lay in your looks.
No matter what we want everyone out there reading this to remember that body positivity isn't just something you do once, it is something that you actively work at. Most of all we hope you'll remember that...
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