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Body neutrality: how to accept yourself and your body: expert advice
Understanding the differences between body positivity and body neutrality.
Beauty standards are constantly changing. At one time, lush breasts and steep hips were appreciated, and after ten years it turned out that it would be better not to have anything, and most importantly – a flat stomach and long legs. What was left for women, if not to complex. So many did, while trying a dozen diets. And so, in opposition to the dictates of fashion, the body-positive movement was born. The phrase “my body is my business” became his motto. And it seems that all this is good and correct, but body positive, as it turned out, can also be militant. We spoke with Maria Samarina, an expert on self-development and working with the subconscious, to understand the topic in more detail.
Positive and negative sides of body positive
The body positive movement is a 100% protest against fashion standards. If these standards are followed, then excess weight, imperfect skin and other similar criteria are no longer considered indicators of beauty. Naturally, body positivity turned out to have a lot of supporters.
But the idea could not stay within the framework of calm acceptance and turned into an inversion of the previous rigid rules: the message is the opposite, but the intensity of passions is the same. It got to the point that bodypositive supporters began to demand absolute agreement with their ideas, and it became simply indecent not to support it!
The widespread acceptance of oneself has become a fashion for body hair, overweight and a refusal to fight “natural” odors. And those who tried to follow at least reason or their preferences were declared a traitor to their natural essence.
It was very difficult for people with disabilities to develop relationships with body positivity. They are told: love yourself the way you are, but they are not told how to do it. If you are different from others, then the main question that you have to deal with in the first place is “why me?”. Acceptance in this case is already a huge step, and very few can find the strength to love oneself without support.
But body-slackness is perfectly covered with body-positive! “I am not lazy and weak-willed, I am body positive! And just try to say that I am wrong. ”
Is body neutrality a sweet spot?
A person is always more than his body. Of course, it is important to accept yourself, but as a whole, not a separate body, a separate brain, a separate soul, or something else: musical abilities, for example, or the fact that you are a good housewife.
This world needs every person, so you need to treat yourself with respect and cherish what is given. This means taking care of yourself and trying to avoid unnecessary problems. But also do not go to extremes.
Of course, you don’t need to eat only pizza and ice cream, even if you love them very much, but sitting on spinach and water, punishing yourself even for looking at the chocolate bar, is also not worth it. As with everything, balance is important. If you learn to listen to your true needs, any excesses will simply not be needed.
The difference between body-positive and body-neutral is like between two gardens: one is overgrown to the waist with burdocks and nettles, but the gardener thinks that they will do it anyway – they are green, and in the second the grass is mown, there are many flowers, and the same burdocks look like a decoration of one from the corners. What kind of garden would you like to create?
How to find the balance?
1. Don’t get hung up on looks
If you are not a TV star, then believe me, you think about how you look much more often than those around you. People have enough of their own problems that they care about much more than your imaginary flaws.
2. Appreciate your uniqueness
Do you really want to be standard? Think – everything that makes you different from others makes you unique. And the world is interested in you as a person, along with the imperfections and virtues that you probably have. Just being healthy and energetic is already a great happiness. This is well understood by those who are faced with a complex disease, for example. So it’s better to appreciate what you have and not create problems for yourself out of the blue. You are an ordinary living person, and this is already wonderful.
3. Conserve your resources
Get enough sleep, drink more clean water, do not eat “junk” food, rest more often, move more. The body, with proper care, can serve you for years. And yes, it will change over the years. But it normal! It is absolutely unreasonable to “punish” yourself for this. It is as unwise as not to take care of yourself.
4. Treat your food intake correctly
Your body will always tell you what it needs, learn only to distinguish between the real need for food from food “for the company”, when “it’s just time”, “so that it doesn’t go to waste”, “sad” or “you want something – maybe eat?” This alone will save you a few extra pounds.