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Health and Wellness

5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself If You're Struggling With Body Positivity

Have you thought about who's telling us our bodies aren't okay and what their motivations are?

Ashley Broadwater

Feb 15, 2019

University of North Carolina

458

5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself If You're Struggling With Body Positivity

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-doing-yoga-1882004/

In a world filled with body and food shaming, body positivity can be hard. However, if we take a deeper look into where those societal ideas come from, we can deconstruct the concept and learn to appreciate ourselves in a new light.

1. What does my body allow me to do?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1476843605766339&set=a.499210823529627&type=3&theater

Help you get to class? Allow you to play sports? Digest and smell good food? Give you the opportunity to talk to friends and pet dogs? Let you laugh? Here are all kinds of cool things bodies do!

2. Who profits off of this emotion?

https://www.tumblr.com/search/bodyposi%20quotes

The answer: no one does.

3. Who's telling me that my body isn't okay as it is?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/368661919476821078/?lp=true

The diet pill companies that want your money and created BMI? People who don't treat you correctly or deserve you anyways? It's time for us to reclaim ourselves.

4. What is something I love about my body and what it can do?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=903848206399218&set=a.499210823529627&type=3&theater

Your hair? The muscles in your legs that allow you to rock climb? The way your eyes pop? Your flexibility? The way you and your friend share the same shoe size and can share shoes?

5. Is the way my body looks really that important?

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Here's what's important: the relationships you form, the way you make others happy, the ways in which you work so hard to appreciate yourself, your passion, your laughs, and the power of your love.

Body positivity can be tough, but so are you. Remember where negativity about bodies comes from, and know that you are worthy however you are.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

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Recommended for you

5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself If You're Struggling With Body Positivity

Have you thought about who's telling us our bodies aren't okay and what their motivations are?

1. What does my body allow me to do?

2. Who profits off of this emotion?

3. Who's telling me that my body isn't okay as it is?

4. What is something I love about my body and what it can do?

5. Is the way my body looks really that important?

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May the odds be ever in your favor.

Phase One: The “I got this” phase

Phase Two: The “I have time” phase

Phase Three: The uncontrollable sobbing phase

Phase Four: The “help me, I've fallen and I can't get up” phase

Phase Five: The rejoicing phase

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all. — Thumper

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories. — Genie

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