Does Being Body Positive Mean I'll Always Feel Positive About My Body?

If you've asked this, you're not alone. It can seem like everyone who professes body positivity on social media is always happy with their body...all of the time. But here's the reality. Body positivity doesn't mean you're always going to feel positive about your body. At least in my experience, it's about what you do on those less positive days that makes you body positive. And that's what matters.I will be the first to say, I have bad body image days. I have days where I wake up in the morning and feel blah in my body. I have days where I see myself in the mirror and I'm like, yeah not a total fan. I have days where I put on a pair of jeans and they feel tighter and more uncomfortable than they did before and that stinks.We all have days like that. I never want you to feel alone, thinking that everyone in this space is living a perfect body positive life where each day is rainbows and sunshine and love for their body. I'll let you know if I find out that this isn't the case, but from what I've experienced and what I've talked to others about, we all have those less than ideal days.But what makes someone body positive is this...What do you do when you wake up and notice yourself in that bit of a funk with your body image.There are a number of options, some being unhealthy ways to cope with poor body image and others being healthy. 

Let's start with the healthy coping mechanisms:

• Journaling about how you're feeling
• Talking about your feelings with a trusted friend or a coach
• Going for a walk
• Doing something fun
• Nourishing your body the same way you would on a body positive day
• Getting rest
• Wearing clothes that feel good

How about some unhealthy coping mechanisms:

• Body bashing (out loud or in your head)
• Pinching parts of your body in an unloving way
• Picking apart parts of your body
• Doing a hardcore exercise routine because *this is key* you want to punish your body
• Skipping a meal, not eating, eating "clean" to feel better about your body/punish your body
• Staying cooped up inside

 Do you see yourself in the first set of coping mechanisms or the second more often? It's totally ok if you're more in the space of unhealthy coping mechanisms. That's why you're here! You can start working towards healthier coping mechanisms TODAY! That's the beauty of this work. You're never so stuck that you are in one place forever. Yes, sometimes we need more support, a different perspective, to help us get unstuck, but you are never "too far gone".So again, to reiterate, being body positive is all about what you do every day, on both the positive and negative days. You've heard me say this before, but it's all about having a loving and respecting relationship with your body. Culture has instilled in us that we have to punish our bodies if they aren't perfect. That love is only possible if/when we reach our "ideal body". But, if we could have a heart to heart, I'd remind you that this is so far from the truth. This is a lie that diet culture tells us. Our hearts will never be satisfied by reaching a specific body size if we first don't learn how to love ourselves where we're at. Remember, we're never talking about perfection here. Not even with body image. We're imperfect human beings. This is a reminder I have to give myself too, every single day. Again, you're not alone. But moving towards body positivity starts with baby steps.Positive body image that lasts starts with contentment. Feeling content in your body doesn't mean being stagnant. I think that's a fear so many people have when I talk about making peace with your body. It's not that you don't desire change. But you are satisfied even with the knowledge that you might still want to change. You love your body despite wanting change. You can be at peace even when peace seems so against what you're actually feeling inside. Contentment grows as we practice being present in our bodies and as we build a loving relationship with our bodies. I sense more on this topic in another blog post, so stay tuned!I want to leave you with a little challenge. Pick one of the positive coping mechanisms and try it out the next time you're having a bad body image day. Pair that with some positive affirmations. And then notice how you feel about the experience. What's different than how you may have reacted before? What still hurts and feels uncomfortable? Trust me, I know this can be hard at first but with time it does get easier.So, tell me! What's a positive coping mechanism for bad body image days that you're going to try?