What is positive body image? (And how do I get it?)
Body image is something we all have. We all have awareness of our bodies in space, and judgments attached to this awareness. But it is our degree of judgment and thoughts surrounding said awareness that varies considerably from person to person. You may find that your best friend is great at complimenting their body, or that a family member is constantly talking about what diet they are on and how they are trying to change their appearance. Everyone’s relationship with their body is different.
Negative body image (known in research as body image disturbance), is a term that refers to how one feels about their body that includes components such as appearance dissatisfaction, body shame and monitoring, and an internalization of societal beauty ideals. Positive body image has not been researched until more recently, and up until 2010, did not have a true definition. Charlotte Markey is a leading researcher on positive body image, and has found that positive body image can best be defined as: “An overarching love and respect for the body that allows individuals to appreciate the unique beauty of their body.”
People who report having a positive body image tend to experience higher levels of gratitude for their bodies, appreciation for what their bodies can do, engage with perceived body assets versus fixating on imperfections, and respect their bodies through acts of self-care such as hygiene, sleeping, eating, and joyful movement.
Perhaps there are ways that you can identify experiencing positive body image? Maybe you prioritize getting a good night’s sleep, or you are able to appreciate all that your body is capable of doing when you walk your dog or hold your child. Bringing attention to all these behaviors can be an important way of being able to continue to engage with body positivity. And this, in turn, can help us turn our focus more towards our body gratitude and respect, and begin to shift away from unhelpful negative body thoughts.
This is not something that happens overnight. One common misconception is that if we have a negative body image, we can’t also have a positive body image. This is not true. In fact, it’s very common for people to have conflicting views about their own bodies all at the same time. For example, someone may go to a yoga class and be able to appreciate their flexibility, balance and strength during the workout, while simultaneously criticizing various aspects of their appearance in the surrounding floor-length mirrors. A 1990 study about body image assessment tools found that “older women were more able to appreciate their body for attributes other than physical appearance, while still experiencing body dissatisfaction.” We, as human beings, are able to hold space for multiple emotions at once, and that concept includes how we think and feel about our bodies.
Body image is a constant journey, and working to move it into more positivity can feel challenging. However, it is possible! We can begin to identify different ways we take care of or respect our bodies, and highlight moments we experience body joy or appreciation. Let’s notice when we feel powerful in that challenging yoga pose we’ve been practicing for weeks! Let’s highlight when we feel confident in a particular outfit, or when we feel body gratitude when we’re able to recover from an injury or illness.
If you’re working with a therapist and this article resonates with you, make sure you’re talking with them about your body image. Therapy can help you learn skills to better be able to hold space for multiple emotions at once (including how we feel about our bodies). It can also be a space to talk through your general body image thoughts and feelings, as well as explore other ways you can think about your body – ways that work for you.
Blog by Kristin Southworth, MA, LPCC
Photo by Anton Lochov on Unsplash