Body Image vs Body Positivity

The conversation around body positivity has become more divided than it was ever meant to be.

When I think about what body positivity originally represented, I believe it was about having a positive outlook on the body you have while moving through the different stages of life. It wasn't about ignoring your health or pretending you never wanted to improve. It was about approaching yourself with compassion as you took care of yourself.

Somewhere along the way, though, the conversation shifted. The internet turned it into an either-or discussion. Either you completely accepted yourself without making changes, or you rejected body positivity altogether because you believed it meant avoiding personal responsibility.

I don't think either extreme reflects reality.

One of the challenges with online conversations is that nuance is difficult to communicate in short-form content. The shorter the video, the easier it becomes to present everything as an absolute. But body image, body positivity, and fitness have never been about absolutes. Every person's experience exists somewhere in the middle.

If you're trying to find that middle ground, I think the first step is getting honest with yourself. Write down how you currently see yourself. Then write down how you would like to see yourself. Once you have both of those perspectives, you can begin bridging the gap.

One habit I believe can make a meaningful difference is intentionally changing the conversation you have with yourself in the mirror. Instead of standing there and immediately pointing out everything you dislike, begin practicing the opposite. Look at yourself from head to toe and intentionally build yourself up instead of tearing yourself down.

If you're struggling to love the body you have, I also think it's important to become curious before becoming critical. Ask yourself what you don't like about what you see. Then ask yourself why you feel that way. Finally, ask where that belief originally came from.

Those questions aren't about judging yourself. They're about understanding yourself.

At first, this process may feel like you're simply going through the motions because you've spent years thinking about yourself in a certain way. Over time, though, those new thoughts begin to stick. The old ones may still show up, but you'll become better at recognizing them and redirecting them.

Eventually, something bigger starts to happen.

You realize that if you can change the way you see yourself in the mirror, you can begin changing the way you approach other areas of your life as well. You become more confident in your ability to navigate challenges and figure things out as you go.

That's one of the reasons I love working in the fitness space. Fitness gives us a practical place to practice these skills, but the confidence, self-awareness, and self-trust we build don't stay in the gym. They carry into every other part of life.

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