🥰 Body Compassion
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📝About this Section:
Body Compassion is the practice of nurturing a kind, accepting relationship with your body. It’s not just about loving how you look, but about acknowledging and accepting your body as it is, even when it doesn’t meet personal or societal expectations. Body compassion helps heal disconnection caused by struggles with body image, lack of desire, or physical discomfort, encouraging self-kindness, understanding, and a deeper connection with yourself.
What is Body Compassion, Really?
Body compassion is about nurturing how we relate to our bodies on a deeper level. It’s not just about appearance but how we treat ourselves, especially during times of struggle. Whether you're facing challenges with body image, desire, or physical discomfort, body compassion encourages you to approach your experiences with kindness rather than judgment. It’s about making space for both the discomfort and the joy your body holds, without needing to fix or change anything immediately.
Body Image & Comparison
Negative body image can create feelings of shame and self-criticism, which is often rooted in unrealistic standards or past experiences. These feelings are not your fault. Societal norms, comparison, and trauma can all shape the way we view ourselves, and it’s common to feel frustrated with our bodies, especially when we feel they’re not functioning the way they should.
Often, we fall into a cycle of comparison, resenting what our bodies do or don’t provide for us, which can lead to trying to force our bodies to look or behave in certain ways. But body compassion is not conditional. It’s about how we talk to ourselves, and how we treat our bodies, regardless of whether we feel completely in love with them.
A Note on ‘Toxic’ Positivity
It’s important to note that body compassion isn’t about forcing ourselves into positivity. It’s about accepting where we are right now, even if we’re not in a place of love for our bodies. You don’t have to force yourself to feel a particular way. Sometimes, just being kind to yourself in the moment is enough.
Reflective Task: Cultivating Body Compassion
Recognising and unpacking our internalised beliefs is the first step in cultivating body compassion. It might feel hard at first, but over time, it gets easier to break down old beliefs and make space for compassion.
Here are some simple tasks to help "unlearn" those beliefs, each of which you can do in less than 10 minutes:
- Letter of Apology: Write a short letter to your body, apologising for any unkind thoughts or actions. Thank your body and promise to treat it with more care. 🤍
- Letter of Love: Write a brief letter to your body expressing love and gratitude for all it does. Focus on what you love most about it and how it empowers you. ❤️
- List of Affirmations: Write down a list of body-compassionate affirmations. These are short, positive statements you can repeat regularly to reframe your relationship with your body.
Examples:
- I love my body and I love myself.
- I deserve to be treated with love and respect. 💗
Remember, body compassion is a journey, and every small step counts towards healing your relationship with your body.
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