13 | Be mindful of how you talk about your body & other bodies.
From getting dressed up to dinner parties to spending time with family, many people will deal with difficult feelings about their body image over the holidays. As if the barrage of unrealistic beauty ideals we face year round isn’t already enough!? Everyone deserves to enjoy the holidays without being shamed for how they look or what they eat. Remember that the words that you use can be a powerful step towards creating a body-positive culture for all. Here are a few phrases to try out from Bevin Branlandingham,
“Hey, I’m worried about commenting about the value of food and body insecurity in front of these little ears nearby. I’d love to help them love bodies of all sizes so they don’t end up with food or body issues.” “Cultivating a culture of food enjoyment is important to me. I would love to enjoy this delicious food instead of assigning value to it!” Of course, it may not always feel safe to talk in this way & we don’t have a lot of control over what others do & say, but we can notice the impact of what we say & choose our words wisely. It’s also essential to practice self-compassion if you find yourself in a space where people are body shaming you, themselves, or others. This kind of talk hurts a lot of people.
Tips for body-positive holidays from the Calm team:
Jade: If I need to dress up, I make sure to choose clothes that feel comfortable & give me confidence. I’m mindful of when I’m comparing myself to others & offer myself lots of compassion. When I hear someone shame their body, I offer kindness & take space if I need to!
Christi-an: Talking about the body as “too much this” & “not enough that” has become normalized. I’m committed to not centering conversations around what my or other people’s bodies look like (there is so much more to talk about). I seek out articles from body-positive writers who help me undo some of the harmful learnings I’ve received around what is beautiful & work to expand my definition of beauty to include all sizes.
This is Calm Holiday Tip #13 of 31! Check back here tomorrow for another way to create more joy and peace this season!