A few things I remember from my childhood have shaped my body acceptance:

• When I was in Junior High, my brother and I were driving down the street, and he said to me, “Everybody is turning their heads and staring at you.” I’m sure he meant it as a compliment, but I remember thinking, why? Why is everybody staring at me? I don’t want that; I’m going to hide!
• My mom was always complaining about her belly. She was a petite, beautiful woman, but she was never happy with her body.
• In high school, my friends and I would take diet pills to curb our appetite. None of us were overweight.
• When I was dating my now-husband, we went on a weekend trip with his sister and her husband. We showed his dad some pictures when we got back, and he commented about me, “someone put on some weight.” I loved his dad, and again I’m sure he didn’t mean to make me feel bad.

I’m sure there are many more things I could think of, but all of these occurrences shaped what I believe about myself and my body. And those beliefs shaped how I thought and created experiences in my life.

Beliefs like:

• My body is for other people to judge.
• I should always strive for perfection, or I’m a failure with my body.
• Food is the devil when it comes to your weight.
• Other people pay attention to the changes in my body, and I need to care about that.

I found these body acceptance quotes that are helping me change my beliefs. It’s time to recognize our bodies for what they are. A vessel that allows us to live our lives. It should not hold us back from the joy and happiness that is our divine right.

50% of women have body acceptance issues. So, I’m guessing that if you are reading this, it has affected you too.

I hope some of these quotes and tips can lead you to believe and think differently about your body.

 

 

12 Body Acceptance Quotes and Tips

 

“Everybody has a part of her body that she doesn’t like, but I’ve stopped complaining about mine because I don’t want to critique nature’s handiwork.” Alfre Woodard

Have you ever stopped to think about everything your body does? It is a true miracle. We should be much kinder to it. Find gratitude and appreciation for how it allows you to live your life. Even those with disabilities have found ways to still do the things they love. Appreciate your body as a whole, not individual parts; it is all connected.

“Do not let your mind bully your body.”

Your mind is powerful. As I said earlier, I believed things that created a love/hate relationship with my body. When you allow your thoughts to compound those beliefs, you create experiences. And when those thoughts tell your body it is fat or ugly or bad, the Universe has to believe it too, which is what you get. Pay attention to what you think and say about your body, and try to be kinder.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” Jim Rohn

“You’re going to be in your own skin until you die. That’s a while. You might as well get comfortable in it.”

“Twenty-some-odd years of me believing that one day I can wake up and be some other girl. It’s like, you’re not gonna wake up and be bigger or smaller or lighter or darker; your hair’s not gonna suddenly grow down past your knees. You’re going to look this way for the rest of your life. And you have to be OK with that.” Lizzo

All three of these quotes remind me that the body I have is all that I get, so the sooner I learn body acceptance, the better.

 

Journal Activity:

Take out a clean sheet of paper and a pen and set your timer for 7 minutes. Write down all of the dreams, desires, and wishes you have for your life. Write as if there were no limitations: money, time, or otherwise. Tomorrow, take out the list you have created and start writing down baby steps you can take to make them happen. Any time you think your body will not allow it to happen, change your thought and do it anyway. Do not allow your body to hold you back. What dreams have you been holding back? This is the life you have with your body; make it marvelous!

 

“Since I don’t look like every other girl, it takes a while to be OK with that. To be different. But different is good.” Serena Williams

Different is good. When I was growing up, the media made us believe that we all had to look like some version of Barbie. And if we didn’t look like that, someone had a product to sell us to make it happen. Now I know that was just their way of making money. My body is what it is. And the world would be a pretty dull place if we all looked the same. Serena Williams is the GOAT of women’s tennis, and she did it with a body that does not represent a typical tennis player. It takes hard work, commitment, and belief, but you can achieve your dreams, too, no matter your size.

 

 

“The best thing is to realize that you are who you are and you gotta work with what you got.” Zendaya

Amen! What is it about your body that gives you unique talents someone else might not have? Embrace your body and use it to be the best version of you.

 

Other Post You Might Enjoy: 10 Ways to Use Your Mind to Heal Your Body

 

“You are imperfect, permanently & inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” Amy Bloom

Everyone sees flaws in their body. Even the man or woman you think is perfect. They are beating themselves up or complaining about something. But being imperfect is not bad; being imperfect is beautiful. I read a quote once that said, “If you are trying to be perfect, you are competing with God.” You will not win. Every human on earth is beautiful, and we all should look at others that way and see it in ourselves.

 

Mirror Exercise:

Take a moment every day to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I love you, I really really love you.” This exercise was introduced by Louise Hay as a method to help you learn how to love yourself. She says,

“Because the mirror reflects back to you the feelings you have about yourself. It makes you immediately aware of where you are resisting and where you are open and flowing. It clearly shows you what thoughts you will need to change if you want to have a joyous, fulfilling life. As you learn to do mirror work, you will become much more aware of the words you say and the things you do. You will learn to take care of yourself on a deeper level than you have done before.”

This will be hard at first, but give it a try! Just like affirmations, the more your repeat the words, your mind will change the way it thinks.

 

“Move because you love your body, not because you hate it.”

I love this body acceptance quote. Exercise can feel like a chore if you think you have to do it to lose weight or improve your health. But movement can be a lot of fun, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Do anything that brings you joy, and your body will thank you. Walk, dance, jump, skip, run, stretch, swim, clean, garden, etc. Any activity that makes use of the energy that food provides.

“Your body is always beach ready!”

This quote is a big one for me because I have hidden my body for years. I can see other people walking around in swimsuits with imperfect bodies and having a fabulous time, and I think to myself, “I can do that too!” But then I get scared again. I was scared that others would see that I hadn’t done what I needed to be thin and fit. So instead, I don’t jump in the water or join others in the sun.  Or I make sure to wear shorts or a tank top to hide my imperfections. Do you know how silly that is? This is the year that stops for me. How about you? When you are having fun and exuding confidence, that’s what people will see!

 

Other Post You Might Enjoy: Stop Worrying About What You Look Like

 

“Don’t wait for the world to recognize your greatness, live it and let the world catch up to you.”

I liked this quote because a big part of not having body acceptance is worrying about what others think of you. Being afraid to show yourself or not doing things because you don’t think you look good enough. I would guess that many people feel the same way about themselves and do not even notice you. So go out and do the things that make you happy and let the rest of the world be awed by your confidence and grace. Be proud of any changes you are making to feel good in your body. If you are consistent with positive changes, people will notice.

I’m working with NOCK Collaborative, a long-term weight-loss and stress-management program that employs an evidence-based lifestyle transformation in the form of a quarterly habit-building action plan tailored to my specific mind and body. It’s all about using your mind to be aware of what works for you and your body and finding habits that you can sustain to stop the yo-yo dieting.

I’m excited to finally, at the age of 55, stop being so critical of myself and love my body. Based on these body acceptance quotes, I know I’m not alone – we can change the stigmas one by one.

 

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