![\"women's](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1536565206219-37a3cf48b2d3?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxzZWFyY2h8Nnx8cGVyZmVjdCUyMGJvZHl8ZW58MHx8MHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&w=1000&q=80\")
<\/figure>\nBody positivity requires people to look beyond the expectations and opinions of society. While we all have our own idea of what the \u201cperfect\u201d body<\/a> looks like, body positivity teaches us to be happy with who we are \u2013 wobbly parts and all.<\/p>\n Having a positive body image doesn\u2019t mean you ignore your summer workouts or give in to your sugar addiction<\/a> without a care. Despite what some nay-sayers believe, body positivity is not an excuse to fail to look after yourself or let yourself go; it\u2019s merely about making an effort to love all of yourself \u2013 no matter what.<\/p>\n People with a positive body image:<\/p>\n Body positivity movements<\/a> aim to reduce the pressure that media messages place on people today. These movements can also support us in being true to ourselves. Body positivity doesn\u2019t just mean embracing your weight or shape; it can also mean loving your slightly crooked nose or having the confidence to wear the clothes you love even if they don\u2019t hide your imperfections.<\/p>\n Used correctly, body positivity can even help reduce obesity and support people in reaching their health and fitness goals<\/a>.<\/p>\n On the other hand, a negative body image is defined by crippling self-esteem issues, feelings of shame and embarrassment, awkwardness, discomfort, or even self-loathing.<\/p>\n Having a negative body image can result in the development of mental health issues, such as depression and social anxiety in some cases. More often than not, the problems stem from comparing ourselves to others or feeling inadequate based on what we see in the media.<\/p>\n In very severe circumstances, a negative body image could even lead to unsafe weight loss habits (like crash dieting or eating disorders), inappropriate use of medication, or even the decision to undergo surgery.<\/p>\n Negative body images are often made worse by \u201cbody shaming.\u201d Body shaming can manifest in a range of ways. Sometimes, we do it to ourselves. We criticise something we don\u2019t like when we look in the mirror, or even negatively comparing our appearance to someone else.<\/p>\n Other times, it\u2019s the people around us that perpetuate negative body images. This is done either deliberately (\u201cYou\u2019ll never get a date with those thighs\u201d), or indirectly, (\u201cImagine how great it would be if you had a waistline like Angelina Jolie\u2019s\u201d).<\/p>\n Research has already found that body shaming can lead to serious consequences, including an increased risk of eating disorders<\/a>. The problem has emerged as such an issue throughout the world. So much so that the UK major prohibited the London transport systems<\/a> from showing ads that might promote negative body image.<\/p>\n Body positivity and body shaming have direct impacts on our quality of life.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re constantly comparing your body to others at the gym, and feeling inferior in comparison, you\u2019re more likely to avoid working out in public.<\/a> You might even put your fitness regime entirely on hold or give up on your weight loss goals.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re uncomfortable about how you look in a bikini, you might avoid going swimming, hide away from the pool, or cover yourself in clothes so you\u2019re more likely to overheat when out and about.<\/p>\n Some people even avoid or don\u2019t enjoy vacations because of their negative body image.<\/p>\n Your body positivity issues can also influence your sex life<\/a>. It\u2019s difficult to let loose and have fun in bed (or anywhere else), if you\u2019re worried about what someone thinks when they see you naked.<\/p>\n Body positivity movements, in the form of motivational quotes and hashtags on social media, advertising campaigns, and global events, aim to help all people break free of the restrictions we place on ourselves for how we \u201cshould\u201d look.<\/p>\n As Caroline Caldwell once said: \u201cIn a society that profits from your self-doubt, liking yourself is a rebellious act.\u201d<\/p>\n Body positivity encourages you to be yourself, and love who you are, no matter what others think.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean letting yourself go or ignoring your nutritional needs. Instead, it means being realistic about what your \u201cperfect body\u201d should really be. Body positivity fosters crucial magnitudes of self-love and helps us to overcome the crippling self-doubt caused by the media.<\/strong><\/p>\n While most of us probably won\u2019t be able to overcome our self-confidence issues overnight, we should all be working harder to give these negative ideas less control over our lives. When we start ruminating on our perceived (often imagined) flaws, our desire to be thinner, curvier, shorter, taller, or anything else can seriously harm our wellbeing.<\/p>\n Body positivity is crucial because it:<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all strategy for overcoming the issues you might have with your self-image. For a lot of us, getting comfortable with ourselves takes time, patience, learning and kindness. However, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of success:<\/p>\n Get a DNA test<\/a> and learn more about your body type, what makes you different, and how you need to look after yourself to be as happy as healthy as possible. You can order your CircleDNA test here<\/a><\/strong> and learn all about your body type.<\/p>\n <\/strong>There are definitely people out there who are very attracted to your body, just the way it is.<\/p>\n Get rid of the body-shaming nay-sayers in your life. Instead, surround yourself with positive people. Start blocking out and challenging the negative comments or ideas you might encounter.<\/p>\n Start complimenting yourself more often. Every day, find something about yourself that you love and focus on that.<\/p>\n You\u2019re not the same as anyone else. Stop comparing yourself to other people, whether they\u2019re celebrities, or friends and loved ones. Remind yourself there\u2019s only one you!<\/p>\n Don\u2019t focus on any media messages that make you feel as though you\u2019re not good enough. What the media states is beautiful may not be your truth or many other people\u2019s truth. It, therefore, isn\u2019t the truth<\/p>\n Remember that many \u201cperfect bodies\u201d have been heavily edited. <\/strong>Apps such as FaceTune help people edit their photos to look thinner, have fuller lips, etc. Know that the supposedly flawless bodies you see online might have been fabricated.<\/p>\n Stop focusing on one imperfect thing you don\u2019t like about yourself. See yourself as a whole person, full of passion and beauty.<\/p>\n Wear clothes that make you feel and look good. Get a haircut, dye your hair a fun colour, get a massage, or buy some new shoes.<\/p>\n If you decide to make a change to your lifestyle, focus on getting healthy. Not getting \u201cthin.\u201d Everything you do should be for your own well-being.<\/p>\n It takes time to overcome a negative self-image, but you can get there.<\/p>\n Remind yourself that the people who post pictures of themselves on Instagram looking flawless usually aren\u2019t that perfect in real life. Notice that countless images of celebrities and athletes online and in magazines are airbrushed to eliminate every potential flaw. Remind yourself that you may not be seeing the whole picture.<\/p>\n At the same time, work on loving yourself a little more. It\u2019s worth checking out some of the body-positive influencers out there on Instagram and other social channels if you can. Some of the best body positivity role models and influencers are:<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019re one of a kind and beautiful just the way you are. Keep practising body positivity and self-love. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is body positivity? It\u2019s a term you might have heard before \u2013 however, it\u2019s also one frequently met with confusion. Body positivity refers to the idea… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1797,8392,8428,8426,135,54,49,4387,4907],"class_list":["post-1103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness","tag-biopsychosocial-approach-to-health-en","tag-gymtimidation","tag-life-changing","tag-loving","tag-positivity","tag-skincare-en","tag-teeth-grinding-en","tag-wellness","tag-yourself"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Negative Body Image and Body Shaming<\/h2>\n
How Body Positivity Impacts Our Lives<\/h2>\n
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Why Body Positivity is Important<\/h2>\n
![\"circlemagazine-circledna-body-positivity\"](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1508956676198-86424a575ce7?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxzZWFyY2h8MTl8fGJvZHl8ZW58MHx8MHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&w=1000&q=80\")
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How to Improve Body Positivity<\/h2>\n
![\"circlemagazine-circledna-body-positivity\"](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1494390248081-4e521a5940db?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxzZWFyY2h8MjN8fGhlYWx0aHl8ZW58MHx8MHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&w=1000&q=80\")
Learn More About You:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Remember That Everyone is Attracted to Different Body Types:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Surround Yourself With the Right People:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Practice Positive Self-talk:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Stop Comparisons:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Be Critical of Media Messages:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Touch-up Pictures:<\/h3>\n
See the Whole You:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Do Nice Things for Yourself:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Aim for Healthy:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Start Loving Yourself<\/h2>\n
![\"circlemagazine-circledna-body-positivity\"](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1609954712383-fb8ea126cbff?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxzZWFyY2h8NDF8fGJvZHklMjBwb3NpdGl2aXR5fGVufDB8fDB8fA%3D%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&w=1000&q=80\")
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