How to Challenge Societal Beauty Standards and Build Positive Body Image
How to Challenge Societal Beauty Standards and Build Positive Body Image
Written by Lily Thrope
Let’s face it: society’s beauty standards are impossible. They're narrow, ever-changing, and built to keep people feeling like they're never quite enough. The good news? You don’t have to subscribe to them. You get to choose what you believe and this can be an ever changing thing to discover and explore. Challenging societal beauty standards and cultivating a positive body image is entirely possible for you. With the right tools, support, and a lot of self-compassion you can challenge stuck beliefs and form new ones that serve you.
If you're ready to stop chasing perfection and start embracing your body as it is, here are several powerful practices to help reframe your beliefs and reclaim your worth.
1. Identify and Challenge Internalized Beliefs
The first step in changing your relationship with your body is recognizing where your beliefs came from.
Ask yourself:
When did I start believing my worth was tied to how I look?
Whose voice is behind that critical thought?
These thoughts are often learned, not inherent truths. Using mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies, you can begin to notice harmful body image thoughts and challenge them with facts.
Cognitive Restructuring Example:
Negative thought: “I look horrible today.”
Reframe: “I might not love how I look today, and that’s okay, this feeling will pass”
Practice speaking to yourself with the same compassion you would offer a friend. Self-talk matters,a kind inner voice can begin to reshape your entire body narrative. Recognizing that feelings are not facts is essential. When you do have a feeling, try to notice it and not create a narrative or story around it. Those stories can be some of our most negative thoughts about ourselves and they are not facts.
2. Shift Focus From Appearance to Appreciation
Rather than obsessing over what your body looks like, begin to notice what your body does for you. This is the heart of body gratitude.
Try this:
Thank your legs for carrying you through your day.
Thank your stomach for digesting and nourishing you.
Thank your arms for hugging your loved ones.
Your body is an instrument, not an ornament. (Watch this powerful video)
3. Curate a Body-Positive Environment
Your environment plays a major role in how you see yourself. Clean up your social media space with an audit..
Unfollow accounts that promote unrealistic beauty ideals.
Follow creators who celebrate diverse bodies, abilities, races, and genders.
Surround yourself with messages that affirm your inherent worth.
Notice which accounts bring you joy and which accounts make you feel badly
Your feed should feel like a breath of fresh air and not a comparison trap.
4. Engage in Joyful Movement
Movement is an opportunity to celebrate your body. Movement can be really different for each person, it can look like a walk, dancing in your kitchen or playing with your toddler. There are so many ways to move our bodies and finding one that is joyful is really helpful in connecting with your body.
Ask yourself:
Do I enjoy this movement?
How do I feel while moving?
Do I feel connected to myself or is my mind wandering?
Does it make me feel strong, free, or connected?
Experiment with dance, yoga, swimming, walking, or stretching. Joyful movement can reestablish your connection with your body in a way that’s fun and fulfilling. In the pursuit of joyful movement it is important to take it slow. If exercise feels like punishment or compensatory then it is not your joyful movement. Keep exploring until you find what feels right for you.
5. Reject Diet Culture Messaging
Diet culture thrives on making you feel like you’re broken, blaming you and then selling you the “fix.” It’s a billion-dollar industry built on body shame, self hatred and unrealistic expectations..
Challenge messages like:
“Thinness equals health.”
“You’ll be happy once you lose weight.”
Reclaim your power by refusing to buy into a system that profits off your insecurities. Learn about Intuitive Eating and weight-neutral approaches to wellness. These 10 principles are a great place to start.
6. Practice Self-Compassion
Healing body image takes time. Some days will feel easier than others. That’s normal.
Practice mantras like:
“My worth is not measured by my body size.”
“I am allowed to have bad body image moments without letting them define me.”
Validate your feelings. Struggling with body image doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. Speak to yourself with curiosity and kindness, not judgment. Your relationship with your body is one of the longest most important ones you will have. It is important to cultivate peace and acceptance in this relationship.
7. Engage in Values-Based Living
When you connect with what actually matters to you, kindness, growth, creativity, connection, you begin to put your energy into what truly lights you up. Try to find community that aligns with your values.
Ask yourself:
What are my core values?
Am I living in alignment with them, or chasing ideals that don’t serve me?
Your body is a vessel for your values, not a project to be perfected. Redirect your energy from shrinking yourself to expanding your life. Find spaces that celebrate you for who you are and hinge the connection on things deeper than diets and body changes. Read more about a community we started to help people feel less alone when rejecting diet culture.
Challenging beauty standards and embracing body image work isn't about “getting it right” every day, it’s about showing up, practicing compassion, and building a new story around your body. The world may not change overnight, but your inner world can and that’s where the real revolution begins.
You are already enough. Your beauty is not up for debate. And your worth has never been dependent on your appearance.
If you want to learn more about how to challenge societal beauty standards, consider speaking to a trained eating disorder therapist on our team. Schedule your free 15 minute consultation call today or email us with any questions or inquiries at hello@thropetherapy.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
