Most of us have heard about the popular benefits of body positivity. Body positivity embraces the concept of practicing self-love and positive affirmations to feel good about your body. 

But this approach isn’t always realistic (or even necessary) for everyone. If you experience tremendous body shame, have a history of an eating disorder, or constantly spend time comparing how you look to others, body positivity may seem inauthentic. Practicing it may also feel like applying a bandaid to a broken arm. 

Body neutrality is a concept rooted in radical acceptance. With this approach, you accept your body for what it is, and you actively choose to let go of emotions and thoughts about how you look. Instead of trying to think positively, you aim to think neutrally.

You Don’t Have to Force a Feeling or Thought

While it might be nice to look in the mirror and genuinely believe that you are beautiful, this reality won’t happen for everyone. And trying to practice those affirmations- only for you to get upset with them- may perpetuate even more shame or guilt.

Likewise, does beautiful need to be the goal? Can you still live a meaningful and fulfilling life regardless of what your body looks like? People who embrace a body neutrality approach simply believe there is much more to life than your external appearance. 

Body neutrality eliminates the need to think about your body positively. Instead, you can just be with your body without judgment or forced expectations.

You May Embrace a Healthier Way of Living 

Body neutrality encompasses paying attention to how you feel- rather than just how you look. As a result, you may find that you no longer obsess about food, clothes, or exercise in the same way. This is because you’re no longer as focused on having the perfect body. Instead, you may even shift your attention to actively nurturing taking care of the body you have.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, implementing this holistic mindset can naturally lead to healthier lifestyle choices. For example, you might embrace physical activity because it makes you feel good. You might eat foods based on how they give you energy rather than how many calories they do (or don’t have). You might buy clothes that feel comfortable and delightful rather than squeeze yourself into garments that feel restricting. 

You Feel Like More Of a Whole Person

How much time do you think you’ve devoted to scrutinizing your appearance? How many awful fad diets have you tried? Don’t berate yourself if you’ve fallen prey to how society thinks you should look. 

Americans spent over $9 billion on plastic surgeries alone in 2020, and the diet and weight loss industry is a whopping $71 billion industry.  

Unfortunately, we live in a society that pigeonholes appearances and demands unrealistic expectations for how we should look. Embracing body neutrality represents a significant stride against that status quo. When you choose to let go of focusing on your appearance, you will no longer feel as susceptible to think of yourself only based on how you look. 

You Can Live In the Present Moment 

How wonderful would it feel to enjoy a beach vacation with your children without worrying about how you look in your bathing suit? How great would it be to master a tough hike without beating on yourself for being “out-of-shape?”

Body neutrality allows you to accept what you have. That level of acceptance can limit rumination and obsession. It can also help you truly appreciate the moment without feeling distracted by how you look.

You Stop Chasing Perfection

We all logically know that perfection isn’t attainable, but that doesn’t mean most of us don’t try to achieve it, anyway. With that said, feeling stuck in a perfectionism trap often makes people feel hopeless, discouraged, angry, and insecure.

Body neutrality means you aren’t trying to change anything. Therefore, you no longer feel this enormous pressure to be perfect. You no longer have to fix, improve, or eliminate something. 

You can just be yourself- exactly as you are. That type of indescribable freedom can be invaluable for your self-esteem. 

How Therapy Can Help You Embrace Body Neutrality 

It’s no secret that most people struggle with their external appearance. If you’re having a hard time, that doesn’t mean something is profoundly wrong with you. You are simply a member in a society that is overly harsh and rigid about how bodies “should” be. 

But if you feel preoccupied over how you look, or if you’re devoting a great deal of time and money trying to “perfect” your body, these patterns may be significantly impairing the quality of your life. 

Therapy can help you work through these barriers and establish a healthier baseline for your self-esteem. Body neutrality is a mindset and not a specific destination. That said, embracing it can improve every area of your functioning. We are here to help! Elevate Counseling is located in the Chicagoland area.