Body Positivity: 10 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Love (2021)

We’ve all heard of it: the body positivity movement. But have you already asked yourself how you can actually love your body?

Loving and accepting your body is easier said than done. It requires some effort to change the way you think. The best approach is to develop minor daily habits that are easy to perform.

To help you on your self-love journey we’ve put together a list of 10 easy ways to practice body positivity.

And always keep in mind that you’re not alone in this. We all feel low about our own bodies at some point in our lives.

Ready to start practicing body positivity?

Great, keep on reading.

1. Embrace your body

It's easy to dislike the features of your body you don't like. It's in human nature to worry about the things we don't have instead of appreciating the things we have. A simple twist that can change your whole perspective is to start thinking about the features you like, or better, love about your body. So every time a negative thought crosses your mind, immediately counter it with something positive about your body. 

Don't limit yourself on looks only. Be thankful about what your body and your mind are able to do. Focus on all traits you love about yourself.

2. Don't compare yourself to others

There's no absolute body positivity or self-love. We all come in different sizes and shapes and there's no right or wrong body type or shape. It's important to love yourself no matter what everybody else might think of you. We're all beautiful in our own way and that's what makes us human. The individuality and diversity. 

3. Surround yourself with body positivity

social media is not the reflection of reality. More and more people are starting to realize that what you see on Instagram or Tiktok is not what you'd see in reality. According to this study there's a high correlation between spending time on social media and developing a negative body image and even developing eating disorders in some cases. 

Here's what you can do: Start curating your social media feed. Hide the posts that make you feel bad such as photoshopped images of idealized models and extreme diet posts. Instead surround yourself with more people who practice body positivity and self-love. People who support you on your journey and people you look up to. 

4. Do good things for your body

When's the last time you've done something nice for your body?

If you can't remember then that's your sign to take care of your body today. Take some time off and enjoy a relaxing bubble bath, go on a weekend wellness trip or make your self a hot chocolate and enjoy your favorite netflix series. 

5. Positive affirmations

This one might sound silly but it's one of the most effective ways of practicing self-love. Give yourself daily reminders, compliments and encouragements to show your gratitude for your body.

We encourage you to try it first thing in the morning by standing in the front of a mirror. Tell yourself something kind, put a sticky note with a cute reminder on your table or computer. You can even schedule daily encouragements on your phone. 

6. Be kind and compliment others

How would it feel if somebody noticed your new hair style or dress and complimented you?

Amazing right, so try to be more attentive and give somebody a compliment even if it's only a small one. This will make the other person feel more confident and you'll feel good about yourself as well. This confidence boost will go a long way on your self-love journey.

 

7. Cut out negative self-talk

Would you say something negative about your best friend's body if you knew it would hurt him and make him feel bad?

So don't do it to yourself. Try to treat your body with the same kindness. Negative self-talk is a form of verbal abuse which nobody deserves, especially you. 

8. Absorb body positive messages and mindsets

As discussed earlier, there's so much negativity about bodies in social media that we encourage you to balance that out with positive messages.

One way would be to populate your social media feed with some self-love and body positivity quotes. You might even want to go ahead and get yourself a nice wall art or poster with a special quote you like. There's a ton of inspirational and motivational content on Pinterest for example. 

If you're more the listener type you might want to listen to some empowering singers such as Lizzo or listen to some audio books that spread self-love messages.  

9. Wear clothes that make you feel confident

Wearing an outfit that you really like and feel confident in is key on your self-love journey. Whether it's a dress, leggings, lounge wear or even sportswear, you'll only feel comfortable in your own skin when you're confident wearing your outfit.

Never purchase anything for your future self as a motivation to lose weight. It won't work. Focus on how you feel right now and wear clothes that fit you perfectly at this very moment. 

10. Do workouts and activities that are good for your body.

Have you ever watched some Pamela Reif workouts?

Needless to say that they're incredibly exhausting and hard to perform for beginners and even for intermediates. You don't need to go to the gym to get a workout in. There are endless home workouts you can perform with only your body weight and a yoga mat.

If working out is not for you, we recommend looking into yoga or pilates. They're both known for performing exercises that focus on loving your body. They'll help you become self-concious and listen to your body throughout the session. 

Alternatively, if none of the above is for you, you can still perform some light activities such as cycling, hiking or simply going on a walk to help you stay active. 

Conclusion

Being body positive is not easy and it's a long journey with many ups and downs. These little practices and self-love tips will certainly help you to actually start embracing your body and loving yourself the way you are. 

Again, we'd like to point out that you're not alone. Everybody is going through similar thoughts and perspectives about their bodies at some point in their life. Eventually, what you think about your body is the only perspective that matters.

Do you have other tips or practices that you'd like to share with all of us? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear them.