Loving our bodies is a journey, especially for most women. From childhood, we are consistently told our bodies aren’t good enough because of our race, gender, our ability, and our weight. For me, growing up with brown skin and frizzy hair was difficult. Whenever I looked at magazines or tv it was white bodies that were loved and praised. I had to work on loving my skin, loving my hair, loving the body I was in.
Our relationship with our body is about us and nobody else. If you’re struggling with how to love your body, this post is for you.
This post is all about 20 Ways to Love Your Body
1. Move Your Body
In whatever way feels good to you! this can be going for a walk, or just rolling your shoulders back while seated. Be intentional with your movement, and listen to what your body needs, and flow.
2. Create a List of All the Things Your Body Lets You Do!
Your body, no matter its ability, is powerful. Our bodies allow us to breathe and exist in all our forms. Make a list of all the things your body allows you to do that you appreciate.
3. Eat a Meal that Makes You Feel Good
What are the foods that give you energy or make you smile? What meals get you excited about cooking? Nourish your body with foods that light you up.
4. Recite Body Affirmations
This can be a difficult one for some people. If you’re at the stage where saying “I love my body” won’t feel truthful, try starting with neutral affirmations. “I have a body”, “My body allows me to x”. You can work your way up to positive affirmations over time.
5. Write a Love Letter to Your Body
What would you say to your body if you loved it? What has your body always wanted to hear? Those are good prompts to start with.
6. Apply Body Lotion
Physically caring for our bodies with touch can be very affirming. Physical touch may even be one of your love languages. Try massaging body lotion into your skin and being intentional with soft movements.
7. Dress Your Body in Soft Fabric
Nothing says comfort like getting into your cozies! The soft fabric will serve as a form of physical touch for your body, showing it that it’s cared for and loved.
8. Do a Float Session
Floating is a unique meditative experience where you lay naked in a warm pool of salt water. The amount of Epsom salt in the container causes you to float without any effort. It almost replicated the feeling of being in the womb, and is a unique way to practice self-love.
9. Go For a Full Body Massage
If you feel comfortable going for a full body massage is an excellent way to practice physical self-care. Massages relieve any physical pain and tension in the body and leave you feeling lighter.
10. Have a Solo Dance Party
Dancing is a form of expression and allows you to move and release energy. So many people avoid dancing because they’re embarrassed by their bodies. Try playing your favorite song or some nostalgic throwbacks and have a solo dance party at home. Let your body move and express itself in whatever way feels intuitive to you.
11. Eat When You’re Hungry
Don’t stress about meal times and quantities, your body knows exactly what it needs and when it needs it. Eat when your body is telling you it’s hungry.
12. Do a Physical Activity that You Enjoy
Movement is key for physical health, as we age our mobility and balance deplete. Daily movement can assist with mobility issues and pain. You don’t need to work out to get movement in, you can do a physical activity like playing a sport, going dancing, or rock climbing. Whatever gets you moving!
13. Try Mirror Work
This is a great way to get used to looking at your body and developing neutral and then positive thoughts about your body. The more you’re open to looking at your body and exploring it the easier it will become to love it. Mirror work can be standing in front of the mirror naked and looking at your body or standing in front of the mirror while reciting affirmations.
14. Touch Your Body
Practice touching your body. Hold your own hand, caress your arm, or give yourself a hug. Our bodies crave physical touch and touching our own bodies helps to build a connection with the self.
15. Take a Bath
Baths can be a luxurious form of self-love and nourishing for your body. Grab some Epsom salts and scented bubbles and spend some quality time in the bath.
16. Buy a New Outfit
Many of us wait for a special occasion to buy a new outfit or avoid shopping until we hit an arbitrary weight goal. Your body deserves to be adorned now just as you are! Spoil yourself with a cute new outfit.
17. Walk with Confidence
Hold your head up rather than looking down, and tap into the most confident version of you. Your body deserves to take up space.
18. Eat the “Off Limit” Food
s far as we can conceptualize we only live once, don’t deprive yourself. It’s okay to eat that “off-limit” food item, food does not have a moral compass. As long as you feel good about your choices you can eat whatever the hell you want!
19. Write Down What You Love About Your Body and Reference it
There will be days when body affirmations feel easy and days when they feel hard. When you’re feeling good about your body write down those thoughts. These can serve as a reminder on the days you’re feeling low. You can reference this list and know that good days are ahead.
20. Practice Saying Thank You to Your Body Each Night
You know all of the things your body does for you each day, so why not thank it? get into the habit of thanking your body each night before you go to sleep. Build a reciprocal relationship with your body.
This Post was all about 20 Ways to Love Your Body!
Thank you for reading Sipping on Gratitude, a personal growth & self-care blog where we spill the tea on all things personal dev. If you liked this post you may want to check these out too:
Love these ideas! The float pool sounds really good! I’ve started doing a lot more self care and feel SO much better for it!
the float is a must try for sure!