Accepting our bodies: positivity, neutrality and self-esteem

Summertime activities like a swim at the pool or the beach can be a fun way to spend time with friends and beat the heat – but wearing a swimsuit in front of others can test our self-esteem. Many of us are unhappy with our bodies and feel embarrassed and uncomfortable revealing them to others. Very few of us live up to the high beauty and body standards we see online and on TV. So, how do we learn to accept ourselves for how we look? Can we adopt a neutral attitude, feeling grateful for our bodies and what they can do for us?

Guests

Anne Poirier, Author of The Body Joyful – My journey from Self-loathing to Self-acceptance (@AnnePoirier)

Iresha Picot, Body positive mental health professional (@ireshadahoodtherapist)

Brian Pollack, Founder and clinical director at Hilltop Behavioral Health (@brian_lcsw_ceds)

We Recommend

The Washington Post, Opinion: I’m 56 years old. Damn straight I’m wearing a bikini this summer. “We’re pressured to hide our bodies from the masses: The horror of a woman breastfeeding! Strolling on the beach with cellulite bared! Parading her aging thighs under a miniskirt! And forget it if we exhibit the scars of a mastectomy, nursing or childbearing, not to mention wrinkles and sagging neck flesh.”

NPR, Why Working Out Should Be About More Than What You See In The Mirror “It’s hard to not get caught up in comparing yourself to others in this age of hyperconnectivity. If you find yourself scrolling through Instagram and constantly comparing your body to other bodies populating your feed, remember that we’re all built differently.”