Boosting Your Body Image

What has your body done for you today? If you are like most people, you are probably too busy thinking about the parts of your body that you would like to change to spend any time thinking about anything you are remotely happy about. We live in a culture that twists our perceptions of our bodies like a funhouse mirror and we are trained to look for what is wrong, or what is out of place. We forget that our body performs many amazing functions and they aren’t objects to be judged based on their appearances. But did you know that by making a small shift in your thinking, you can start to feel better about your body?

Gratitude is a powerful tool that helps build positive body image.

When we re-train our minds to start looking for what is right and
when we feel appreciation for all our bodies do for us everyday,
we are in a place to make change. Gratitude shifts us from a
place of wishing that things were different to a place where we
acknowledge how good we have things right now.

It may seem silly at first, but take a moment to offer a silent "thank you” to your body for all that it does for you. If you are able to walk to class, thank your legs for carrying you. If you can read this newsletter, thank your eyes for allowing you to take in the world around you. If you hear someone trash talking their body, see what you can do to shift the conversation to the things about their body that they can be grateful for. Practicing this exercise daily will help you in cultivating a positive body image and gratitude.

We can be grateful for arms that can hug, hands that can draw, mouths that can taste, and kiss, and sing. What makes you feel grateful for your body today?

 

Contributed by Kellie Carbone, Health Educator at Wolverine Wellness at University Health Service