GOOD
Health
Body Neutrality A GENTLE APPROACH TO HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR BODIES
There’s a kinder, gentler movement on the rise, a deeply quiet celebration of just being who we are—physically and mentally. Welcome to Body Neutrality1, a soothing antidote to the angst of looking in the mirror and feeling like we don’t measure up to the ideals of modern beauty.
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hether you blame it on the Age of Advertising, celebrity culture, or social media, we’re bombarded with images of what perfection looks like. Even when we know that ‘perfection’ is impossible without great lighting and photo tricks, many of us equate our value to how well we measure up—or don’t. We feel bad about ourselves, convinced that we’d be happier, more loved, more successful, if only… Body Neutrality is appreciating and looking after what we truly are: a marvel of bioengineering that gives us finely-honed tools to think, create, work, and play. Legs to walk, run, jump and dance; hands to grasp and manipulate; and arms to hold, push, and pull. Complex, intricate, interconnected systems that work together to be alive and
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to give life, all of these controlled by a brain that also give us intelligence, emotions, creativity, and memory—and some would say spirit and soul. Body Neutrality is about freeing and rechannelling all the time and energy spent on obsessive thoughts about our bodies into manifesting other things for our lives. And the more we focus on looking after ourselves, the better we’ll function and the better we’ll feel.
Not a Pretty Picture The amount of time and energy we spend wishing or trying to change our physical appearance can take its toll on our mental well-being when critical self-talk leads to anxiety, and feelings of worthlessness and depression.
We’re not alone: mental health issues associated with self-image are worldwide and affect all ages, genders, and cultures. One UK study by the Mental Health Foundation found: • One in three teenagers are “ashamed of their body.” • 57% of 18 to 24-year-olds feel anxious because of their body image, compared with 30% of 45 to 54-year-olds and 20% of over 55s. • 13% of adults admit to having experienced suicidal thoughts or feelings because of their body image. Results suggest that “higher body dissatisfaction is associated with poorer quality of life, psychological distress and risk of unhealthy eating behaviours and eating disorders.”
