Body positivity is without a doubt one of the latest buzzwords and seems to be everywhere we turn. Don’t get me wrong, it’s such an important message to spread and I’m so glad that it’s finally getting some airtime. What I do wish though, is that I could practise it more when it comes to my body, both inside and out.
Learning to make peace with your body and then learning to love it are two different things for me – and to be honest I struggle with them both. Like most people, I have good days when the first outfit I put on looks fab, my hair isn’t too crazy and I think to myself “Wow, you look pretty darn good!” But then there are those days in very stark contrast, when nothing that I put on looks right, my hair looks like I’ve been dragged backwards through a bush and there isn’t a concealer in the world to hide my breakouts and dark circles. It’s on these days that I find myself criticising everything from my appearance and mental health to my ability as a mother and … and … and …
“I’ve unsubscribed from anything that breeds negativity in my life or brings negative thoughts into my mind.”
When these bad days hit, I’m reminded that I need to actively take steps to practise body positivity. I wanted to share four of these changes that I’ve made in my life because I’m almost positive that I’m not alone in the struggle to accept and start to love my body.
- I’ve unsubscribed from anything that breeds negativity in my life or brings negative thoughts into my mind. Anything that makes me feel less-than or angry (or any other negative emotion) has been given the boot. This includes friends who just never, ever make the effort or are toxic and social media accounts that either anger me or make me really dislike the way that I look – basically anything that elicits any type of negative thought or ruins my day. It’s never easy to make drastic cuts like that, but the change in my mood and how I feel about myself after doing it, makes it so worthwhile.
- A few healthy habits have found their way into my day-to-day life; things like taking my collagen powder every morning, taking an hour to myself and just relaxing when Aria is having her afternoon sleep, and being more regimented about my skincare routine. Small changes like these have such a big impact on how I feel about myself. When I see improvements in my hair or skin, and when I don’t feel as drained and tired as I used to, I see myself in a better light.
- I’m trying to kick the guilt. As soon as I have something vaguely unhealthy to eat, I always feel guilty, which is when the negative thoughts about my body start to roll in. This is probably one of the most difficult changes to make, but as much as I’m trying to be healthy, I am also trying to stop feeling guilty when I order UberEats for dinner, followed by a slab of chocolate (because PMS cravings are real!). Feeling guilty doesn’t make the fact that I ate the burger go away; instead, it just throws me straight into a pit of self-loathing and when that starts to gain momentum, it takes me weeks to start to even vaguely feel good about myself again.
- I’ve started to buy better fitting underwear. It sounds like such a random change to make, but once you do it, you will thank me, it literally changes your body shape! If you’re concerned that you need to really splurge to get better fitting underwear, that’s not the case at all. You just need to find the shape that fits you properly. Go get measured for the correct bra size and try on different styles of knickers while you’re at it. New underwear is like an instant happy pill and has the power to make you feel better about yourself, so believe me when I say that buying better fitting underwear will make you feel that good, every day!
Body positivity isn’t something that happens overnight. It is a constant push and pull in my mind and I often have to catch myself from falling down the slippery slope of negative thoughts. Will I ever fully accept my body? Probably not, but I’ll keep on trying to get as close as I possibly can.
How do you deal with your own body positivity? Is it something that is important to you?
Sarah is a beauty-product hoarding mama who simply cannot get enough coffee into her system. You can expect to see a little of everything in her blog Mascara & Mimosas, from what makes parenthood a bit easier to her latest beauty obsession – or even what DIY she’s just tried.
Also read:
I needed a break from my family and I don’t feel guilty about it!
How I embraced my post-baby body and self
