Do You Not Like Your Body or is it Something Else?
Written by Samie Acevedo
Do you not like your body or is it…
Lack of control in your life.
A deep need to feel seen and validated.
Fear of being rejected.
Fear of not being loved.
A need for connection.
Learned behavior passed down by family.
Trauma.
Burnout.
Not sleeping enough.
Not eating enough.
Depression.
Anxiety.
There are hundreds of reasons why we may not love what we see in the mirror. But it doesn’t always mean we don’t like or love our bodies. Oftentimes the root of the dislike for our body image has to do a lot more with what is going on inside than outside.
The next time you look into the mirror and start criticizing what you see, take a moment and a breath. Place a hand on your heart, close your eyes and ask, “What else is going on in my life that is contributing to this body criticism.”
An action step to help navigate when we are having bad body image days, is to create a self-care checklist.
But before taking these action self-care steps, the first step is always giving ourselves grace. When we can forgive ourselves for being less than nice to our bodies, we can begin to question and dig deeper into these negative narratives. We can seek professional help, get guidance, and dive into reflection.
Everyone is on a different body acceptance timeline. Don’t rush it. Be patient with yourself and congratulate yourself for being brave stepping into the path of unlearning harmful narratives – and embracing supportive loving ones.