Why Body Positivity Is For Everyone

During a Life Coaching session that I was having with a client, I was asked about body positivity. As a plus-size model, my client had seen the social media posts and was active in the discussions around the topic.

I explained that the movement isn’t about weight or dress size. Instead, it’s about embracing who you are. Also, it’s about acknowledging that this is the skin we’re in and this is who we are. I don’t have to be perfect before I can love myself.

Body Positivity Isn’t About Weight

Some people see content about body positivity and instantly think it’s about how much or little a person weighs. But that isn’t the case. Body positivity is about celebrating the things that make you unique.

What makes you stand out from the crowd can often be the very thing you struggle to accept. Maybe you have scars from a past surgery. Perhaps you were disfigured in an accident or attack. Maybe you have a medical condition that affects the way you look.

In a world that focuses on PhotoShop perfection, these “flaws” might leave you feeling insecure, cause you to doubt yourself, or make you worry that you’re inferior to others. But you aren’t less-than just because your body is different.

Body Positivity Is About Owning Who You Are

In the movie, The Greatest Showman, there’s a character named Lettie Lutz, played by Keala Settle. Lettie is an overweight woman with a beard who’s been convinced she must hide out from the world and that her appearance makes her unlovable.

When she gets past her weight and lets her gift flow, she (click link) sings a powerful number “This is Me” about owning who she is. In many ways, the song is what embracing body positivity is all about—coming out of hiding to proclaim who you really are.

Body Positivity Is Empowering

Body positivity isn’t just for the “right” kind of body. It’s not about being a certain age, skin color, or identity. It’s about embracing every aspect of who you are and not allowing the world around you to make you feel like you’re not enough.

It’s also not about celebrating weight. It’s about announcing who you are, being proud of that person and falling in love with you. It’s about realizing we all have imperfections and flaws. Some of them are visually obvious; some are not. Refuse to hide yours. Own who you are and let those who are uncomfortable with your awesomeness sit with their emotions. You don’t have to take on their feelings or educate them.

Discover how to come out of your shell & be your authentic self in my e-workbook, Embracing Body Positivity!