Morning Glory

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Many people think body image is only an issue for people who aren't stereotypically thin, or who have an eating disorder, but the truth is body image has nothing to do with one's size, or whether you struggle with an eating disorder. It has to do with how you see yourself, what you tell yourself about your body, how you describe your body & how you think, feel & behave toward your body — all work to create your body image.
There are thin women who think that they are fat, women who fit the societal standard of beauty who think they are ugly & many people who daily struggle with discomfort, shame, embarrassment & hatred about their bodies.

Despite all the pressure to look a certain way, you can change your body image without dieting or controlling what you eat.

How Do You Relate To Your Body?
To better understand your body image, think about how you relate to your body. How do you:

see your body in your mind?
describe your body to others?
talk about your body to yourself?
feel about your body?
treat your body?
Each of these ways of relating to your body effects the others, they are inter-connected. That might sound overwhelming, but it's actually good news — changes in one area will lead to changes in the others.
For example, if you begin to change how you describe your body, you will start to think differently about your body & this will effect how you feel about your body. Or, if you start to change how you treat your body, it will change how you feel & think about your body.

Become Aware of How You Relate to Your Body
One way to start changing your body image is to become aware of how you think, see, describe & treat your body & how you feel about your body. Choose one of these components of body image to work on & focus your attention on it.
For example, if you think about your body in a negative way, become aware of when you have those thoughts. Begin by simply noticing them. Pay attention to how often they occur, when they occur & what you say to yourself. See if there's a pattern. Recognizing a pattern can help you be aware of the things or situations that feed your shame or hatred about your body.

For example, some people think more negative thoughts about their bodies when they are feeling anxious or nervous. If that's true for you, you may want to think about what you can do to help yourself to feel more calm & safe, such as acknowledge how you feel, say something reassuring to yourself & take a few deep breaths. By working on your anxiety, you may find that you feel better & aren't thinking as many negative thoughts about your body.

Interrupt Critical Thinking About Your Body
Another way to counteract critical thinking about your body is to become aware of when you're thinking that way, then interrupt your thoughts by turning your attention to something else. Or, tell yourself that you don't want to say those things about your body any more — that you want to respect & love your body. Some people also say positive things about their body, affirming what they like or what they want to like about their bodies.
Be Gentle & Loving With Your Body
Work on treating your body with love & respect. Be as gentle & tender with your body as you can. Pay attention to how you interact with your body. For example, when you put lotion on your body, notice how you do it. Do you put it on roughly or quickly? Do you notice that you are touching your body? Try putting lotion or oil on your body slowly, thoughtfully & gently. Notice the sensation of your hand touching your body.
Do you pick at or hit your body, bump into things, or ignore that you have a body except when you criticize it? See if you can change one way in which you treat your body unkindly. Try noticing that you have a body & be kind to it. Pay attention to when your body is tired & needs to rest. Touch your body with gentleness — the way you would with a lover or friend.