My Journey To Body Positivity | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

My Journey To Body Positivity

The reason you need to fall in love with yourself as soon as possible.

12
My Journey To Body Positivity
Pexels

Growing up, I have always been labeled as a "chubby" girl. I have always been very aware of my size, especially in middle school where so much of my time was wasted comparing myself to my peers. I have always been especially cruel to myself, blaming everything on my weight. Even things that had nothing to do with pant size were blamed on my waistline.

"Maybe if I wasn't so fat, I could make better grades."

While it seems silly and ridiculous now, it is true. In recent months, however, I have embarked on a journey which is changing my life for the better each day.

In mid-August 2015, a little less than a year ago, I began going to a local gym with only one thing on my mind, lose as much weight as fast as humanly possible. Again, while this seems ridiculous and a bit unrealistic (okay, extremely unrealistic), I know I am not the only person to enter a gym and jump on a treadmill with this exact mindset. Too bad that is not how this works. I have begun to figure out that this is a process which requires a considerable amount of time and dedication. I think that my biggest problem, aside from my love for Pop-Tarts and chocolate milk, was my severe body image issues. From a young age, I have struggled to view my body with any enthusiasm. This has been the greatest struggle in my fitness journey.

Many of us who are trying so desperately to lose weight have been skipping the first, and arguably most important step of this journey, loving ourselves. Trust me when I tell you that it is not easy. If you are anything like me, you have spent years hating your body. This prison within which we have felt hopelessly trapped does not have to be a prison anymore. There is nothing more beautiful than falling in love with your body, despite the flaws that greet you each time you see your reflection. I am here to tell you that regardless of your height, weight, skin color, age, or gender, your body is a beautiful and wonderful thing! The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

This life is far too short to waste as much time as we do worrying about our bodies and what others may think. In 1967, David Elkind spoke about the "imaginary audience." This is basically the belief that we are under constant watch by those around us. With all the time you spend judging and criticizing yourself, how much time do you spend doing the same to others? Now imagine how many others are doing the exact same thing. Surely you'll come to the conclusion that they are far too concerned with themselves to focus on you. I am not saying that your body will never be examined by our society because it inevitably will; I am saying that it should not have any power over you. We were not put on this earth to pay as much attention to bodies as we do. What a much more beautiful world we would live in if we focused all of this time and energy on learning each others' minds as we did on criticizing their bodies. Once you grow comfortable with yourself, everything else will fall into place

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

3469
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

2113
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201442
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21727
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments