This week’s tip is a huge one. One of the biggest hurdles in developing a body-positive life is the constant commentary we hear from friends family and co-workers talking negatively about their own bodies, or the bodies of others. This is often referred to as bodysnarking. Bodysnarking, or the verbal policing of your own or other people’s bodies is extremely detrimental to you and your body image.
To live a body-positive life, I encourage you to become aware of and find ways to reduce bodysnarking in your life. This can the negative body comments you make about yourself, or the comments you are hearing from others. You know what that sounds like, right? Comments like “god, my thighs are so huge!”, or “I could never wear tank tops because of my flabby arms”. Ask yourself, how much bodysnarking is happening in your work and social circles? Is lunch time at work filled with conversation about body fears and what food is being eaten to try and address those fears? Does your group of girlfriends feel free to comment on other people’s bodies while out shopping or visiting? What about online? Is your newsfeed filled with body commentary, either about celebrities, or people commenting on the bodies of mutual friends? Once we start to pay attention, we can become aware of how much negative commentary we are hearing every day and consider what damage it is doing to our own body image.
So, yeah…now that you think of if it find there is lots of bodysnarking in your life….what can you do? The first step is awareness, and now that you’ve identified the bodysnarking, you are well on your way to addressing this issue. Now, you have a few opportunities to make a difference:
1) Speak up and Educate: When people start to talk negatively about their own body or others, be prepared to point it out and share that how harmful bodysnarking is. I know, I know…this is much easier said than done! But you can do it! Come from a place of love and non-judgment and you will be surprised how far that can take you. Try something along the lines of “I don’t like to hear you talking that way about yourself”. Or “let’s try talking positively about our body for awhile”.
2) Do not join in! This is very important…and can be such a challenge! Especially since often we as women, use bodysnarking as a form of bonding. Over the years I have found saying in a non-judgemental way “I don’t focus on weight, just on being as healthy as I can”, to be an effective way to let people know how I feel without putting them on the defensive. The conversation usually changes, or if people sometimes people are intrigued by my comment and I am able to share with them some of my thoughts on the importance of body wellness through size acceptance and the Health at Every Size Approach,
and..3) take some action! Be a force for body-positivity in the world. One option is to check out the Operation Beautiful website and join in the fun guerrilla tactics in spreading body love by posting positive message post-it notes into public places like bathrooms. Taking this kind of fun subversive action is not only fun, and can boost someone else’s day…it can do amazing things for your own sense of self and body-image.
Go ahead. Be Awesome.
