Body wisdom and your family
If you are here, you are probably not a stranger to the concepts of body wisdom, intuitive eating and self-acceptance that my work is all about. I hope you are well on your way towards accepting your body as it is right now, and you are taking loving care of it. But we are not islands in this world, we live with other people, and how they look at us and our issues has a huge impact.
Today, I brought you some ways to involve your family in your journey towards body wisdom, for both your sake and theirs.
Inspiring your partner to learn with you
While men are less likely to suffer from body image issues, it is very possible that your partner is also unhappy with his body. Men usually have trouble accepting that their strength and stamina diminishes with age, along with other changes such as losing hair. Self-acceptance does not stop at your weight! You can help them accept themselves with the same methods as we use in my courses, and you can involve them in your intuitive eating and light exercise program as well. Their physical and mental health will thank you!
Showing your children a good example
If you’ve been struggling with your body image for a long time, it is unfortunately likely that you instilled some unhealthy thoughts in your children too. They may be grown, but it is never too late to show them what a mindset shift can do! Being less critical to yourself will make you less critical towards them as well, and it will inspire them to look at their own body in a more positive light.
Teaching everyone to treat us with respect and acceptance
In many families, jokes about our own or each other’s weight or other physical attributes is an everyday occurrence. It is time to stop this and get your family members to respect your boundaries just like you learned to respect them. Don’t bring yourself down, and don’t let anyone else do that to you either! No need to get into a fight over this: it can be as simple as saying "Please don’t talk about my body like that. I’m learning to accept myself the way I am and I’d appreciate your help!"
How does your family relate to all of this? Do they understand your past struggles? Did they notice the change when you started to love your body? I would love to hear from you, so head over to the contact page and share your experiences!