I like to think we merely enjoy the idea of body positivity much more than truly accepting the parts of ourselves we're conditioned to want to change in order to conform. Indifference is far from what the concept encourages—hence its name—but at least it's a good start in dismantling the stringent beauty ideals that have existed for long before many of us were even born.

Going on my twentieth year, I still struggle most of every day with actually putting this into practice. And sure, this is something everyone endures.

But there is absolutely no reason we should have to.

From a terribly young age, we've all been exposed to the normalization of striving for the certain shape, features, and feeling of literally fitting into a mold that seems to be tweaked every other hour.

In addition to being counterintuitive to a new wave of a positive self-image, it's essentially useless. Because if there's anything that I've learned in the past few months of working with mental health professionals, is the control you exercise over your body will never result in exactly what you expect.

We eat cleanly and force physical exercise as if it's a chore and hope to feel fulfilled by demonizing comfort foods and stressing our bodies more than they can handle. This is not sustainable, and no matter what "MyFitnessPal" and fad diets advise, it's not always healthier, either.

This isn't to say every effort towards a "fit" lifestyle is inherently bad; it's just easy to fixate on physical health when we're actually allowing ourselves to suffer mentally. Many of us have found this balance; but truthfully, I can say I haven't quite yet.

And no, this doesn't come from a place of not really understanding what body positivity looks like. I see the body diversity of those that I love, and I cherish it more than I ever have for myself.

I don't voice an opinion on what is theirs (but off the record, I appreciate every single bit of them). The body they have is housing the most important parts of them. It is the only vehicle with which they are able to make others snort and giggle and belly laugh. Their bodies are absolutely beautiful because they allow them to get up in the morning and meet their best friend for coffee. They let them dance like an idiot with their significant other. To produce the words to make another feel like the most valuable person on the planet.

Their bodies are the only way that they themselves can become individuals who are fluid and growing beyond anything they could ever anticipate.

Very honestly speaking, we are simply more than just our bodies. They aren't indicative of all we truly are, rather they serve as a means to discover that about ourselves. At the end of the day and this life, a body is just a body. But it sure helps to appreciate the one you're in and all it already does for you.

I think the first step of body positivity is more along the lines of holistic appreciation. Notice that it's easier objectively: viewing and treating ourselves like we would a best friend. After all, the "Golden Rule" works both ways.