Written by: Kristen Donia Body positivity rocks. At its heart, what it does, is supports the notion that all bodies are deserving of love and respect. The overall topic of body positivity has increased awareness and also the need for support and resources when it comes to our overall body acceptance. This shift has allowed for the birth of a plethora of online resources specifically catered to teenagers. As more influencers discuss body positivity, there becomes an awareness to the negative effects of body shaming which had previously been on the rise over the years with the growth of social m ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia How do you feel in your body today? Close your eyes and ask yourself this question. Perhaps you feel strong. Or tired. Maybe even determined. How much of what we have going on in our lives affects how we feel in our bodies? Let’s say for example, we’ve had a rough month. A project went sideways taking more time than we expected, we had a bit of an emotional moment, we had to sit through and process to feel better, and our best friend was visiting family and wasn’t around to turn to for support. Given these circumstances, we may not be arriving in our lives and our bod ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia What comes to mind when you hear the word – “perfection”? Is it an image, a feeling, or is it a person or an object? Unpacking perfection, in my experience, comes in layers. There are many ways that our society quietly teaches us about perfection. It could be a line in a movie or tv show, a magazine article, or online interview. It turns out that how we feel about perfection is often inherited from our caregivers and the information we’re surrounded by. Let’s unpack a few different areas perfection may play a role. How we look Do you feel like you need to look a certa ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia What if we told people we noticed just how awesome their eyes are? How beautiful their skin was? What great lips they have? How much we love their presence? Their energy is contagious. Their laugh makes us feel joyful. These are all wonderful ways to display to each other just how amazing and stellar their attributes are. What if compliments are a way of introducing more body acceptance and gratitude into our lives? Note that all the above compliments are not purely physical. They are all encompassing. They display our gratitude for the characteristics that make up th ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia What does it look like to honor our seasons, the seasons of our lives and seasons on the calendar? Both of which are relevant to our lives. Each day is brand new. What if we chose one different thing today? Not a whole schedule of newness, which would only lead to overwhelm and be ineffective in its staying power, but one little thing. We could choose to reframe a thought we have about our body and the way we see ourselves. For example: Prior thought: I’m not pretty enough. Underlying emotions attached to that thought: disappointment, sadness, defeat, hopelessness Pot ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia The short answer, yes. The nature of the body positive movement is rooted in good, with the idea that all bodies are lovable and should be accepted. Oftentimes though what can happen is when we’re in a negative spot say, not feeling so awesome about our bodies, these positive messages make us feel worse. It’s in essence, feeling bad for feeling bad. Plus, we’ve already been bombarded by the entirety of the beauty industry with all kinds of messages. Use this cream for clear skin, and this shapewear to smooth out your curves, and the list goes on. We hear these message ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia What if we were to consider body positivity when we got dressed? What would that look like? Tops When considering tops, there are a few different directions we can go. Form-fitting On the tighter end, a form-fitting top hugs your curves, displaying your shape. Loose A slightly more relaxed look would be a loose fitting top. It neither hugs your body nor hides your shape. It simply offers a comfortable alternative. Baggy An oversized look that is exceptionally comfortable. Bottoms The bottom part of an outfit comes with an increased amount of options. Think dresses, sk ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia The environment we grow up in has an impact on our developing beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. Therefore, the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of those close to us have a large effect on us. We may think that something we believe, perhaps even a core belief, was born from a thought we came up with. In this article I’m going to discuss a few different ways that our loved ones help us form our opinions and beliefs. Watching tv On a casual home night together with your family, what activities do you do? Watching Netflix or Hulu together can be a common ..read more

Written by: Dr. Charlotte Markey Being body positive is hard, but there are things we all can do to make it easier. I’ve been studying body image for over 25 years, and I can offer a lot of advice about ways to improve your body image.  It’s important to first acknowledge that feeling positively about our bodies is not easy for most of us.  This is not our fault; there are many social forces working against us.  We all see images of beautiful, perfect people every single day on social media, advertisements, and elsewhere on the internet.  These models, celebrities, and infl ..read more

Written by: Kristen Donia Happy February! Wouldn’t it be nice if someone you knew kept their eyes out for awesome body positivity content? Well look no further. I got you girl! I found the following list all on the app Scribd which can be accessed from your phone with a subscription. This month I found all kinds of great information on body positivity. If you’re a podcast or audiobook listener, there’s something for you or if you prefer to read your books on your phone, I got you. Hearing about someone else’s struggles, challenges, experiences, and wins lets us know we are not alone in how we ..read more