According to BuzzFeed, last week was Body Positivity Week. Although I ended up googling this, and finding out that Body Positivity Week was not actually last week, and instead it is in October, it made me think how we as Americans do not embrace body positivity as much as we should. Instead, we live in a society that loves to criticize people for having too much cellulite.
I know that many celebrities, such as Jennifer Lawrence, Adele, and Beyoncé, have all spoken out against Hollywood’s image of what a woman should be, which is great, but how much do their words actually influence what thoughts go through our minds. Now I am writing from a college girl’s point of view, but I know that not many of my thoughts have changed, even though I completely agree with everything these celebrities are saying. I think it is ridiculous the amount of pressure women are put under all regarding their appearance. Men are not put under half this pressure (however this topic and problem is for a different time). I think body positivity is more than that.
Body positivity to me is when you don’t criticize yourself consistently because you have gained weight (Especially in college).
Body positivity to me is when you don’t criticize yourself consistently because you are not losing as much weight as you would want or may have planned too.
Body positivity to me is the idea that you are not going to workout because you hate your body. Instead, it is the idea that you are going to workout because you love your body, you want to improve your body, you want to keep your body healthy, or for me at least it makes me feel better emotionally.
Body positivity to me is not being angry with yourself for not getting the best workout possible in, but instead thanking your body for allowing you to workout. Not everyone is able to go for a run or go for a bike ride or making it through a yoga sculpt class. Although your body may not be where you would like or where it was a few months ago, body positivity is idea that you accept what you have and you are thankful for that
Most importantly body positivity is the idea that you focus on the things you like about yourself more than the things you don’t like about yourself.
As Beyoncé once said “Confidence makes a woman sexy. Women should not get caught up in someone else’s definition of beauty. We are too obsessed with what a perfect nose is, or perfect hair, but there is nothing more beautiful than loving yourself and being confident.”
So don’t beat yourself up, instead be thankful for your body, and try to focus on the positives rather than the negatives.
