It’s no secret that body-shaming culture is inescapable, especially as we are all becoming more online than ever before. From the constant stream of ads featuring “ideal bodies” to the social media amplification of diet trends, there is an endless stream of voices telling you what you should or could look like. Breaking through all this noise isn’t easy, but we’ve put together some helpful tips to help you silence the shame and combat body-shaming culture.
Becoming Your Biggest Cheerleader
Sometimes our harshest critiques come from ourselves. You should be your most consistent supporter, not your loudest critic. The simple act of practicing daily affirmations can have a significant impact on how you see yourself. Studies show self-affirmations can lead to lower stress, reduce anxiety, and improve self-image.
Each morning, set yourself up in front of a mirror and find three affirming statements about yourself. These can be physical compliments or even just a recognition of something you do really well. Talking to yourself in a mirror is going to feel silly, but the more you do it, the more natural it will be! This daily practice can lead to a noticeable change in how you perceive your body and how well you cope with criticism.
Being in Community and Conversation
One of the most intense, and incorrect, feelings about experiencing body-shaming culture is that you are alone. This could not be farther from the truth. 25 percent of women and 15 percent of men report feeling shame around their body image. Chances are, there is someone in your life who can relate, and connecting with those people could make a huge difference.
This doesn’t have to mean walking up to a stranger and asking how they feel about their body; in fact, maybe avoid that one. For parents, it means checking up on your kids and creating an open line of communication so that if they experience any sort of negative feelings about their body, they will come to you first. For friends, it means being a real-time comment section, reminding them that they are important, special, and valuable to you. If you are still feeling isolated and hoping to process some of the negative emotions that are hard to chase away, exploring therapy has been proven to increase self-confidence and expand coping skills.
Touching Grass and Turning Off Comments
Given that we are all chronically online, it is often really hard to shut off the noise. Logging off is not easy, but it comes with a real reward: the ability to filter what information is coming in and to do a hard reset on how much you value others’ opinions. Recent studies show that taking just a week off of social media can lead to better self-esteem and body image, especially among young women. With all this new free time, you can explore new hobbies, spend more time in nature, and connect with friends somewhere other than Instagram.
Regardless of whether you are planning to try affirmations or a social media sabbatical, combating body-shaming starts with investing in your mental health. You are capable of doing impossible things. Make sure you take time to remind yourself — and the people you love — of that as often as possible.
What is a way you think we could all work together to combat body-shaming culture online?
