Body Positivity - 25 Journal Prompts For Your Self Love Journey
There is no such thing as the perfect body, yet we live in a world that is so hyper focused on physical appearance and beauty standards one can easily adapt negative views and emotions regarding their own physical appearance when they don’t see themselves represented or praised by society.
Body positivity is an important concept to acquire and practice in order to keep your sense self worth at a high level in this digital age. It’s important to remember that beauty trends come and go. What’s considered the ideal body type or “look” today was not the same a decade ago, and it won’t be the same a decade from now.
You have to learn to love your body at the stage it’s in.
Even if you are working towards a fitness goal or going through the process of some sort of physical transformation, your body as it is today in its current form still deserves appreciation and recognition. If you’re unsure how to adopt a more body positive mindset, writing can create the blueprint for your self love journey towards body positivity.
What Does Body Positivity Mean?
A person who is body positive welcomes and appreciates the human body in all shapes, sizes, forms and colors. They have the understanding that all bodies are worthy of love, appreciation, and respect. A person who is body positive does not allow their physical appearance to negatively influence their own personal happiness, self esteem, and confidence.
We all have things about our bodies that we don’t particularly love.
No matter the shape, size or color of a person, chances are there's at least one or two things they dislike or wish they could change about their physical appearance. This is actually quite normal and healthy. However, when the thoughts and emotions one has about their body become an inhibitor of their feelings of happiness or self worth, this is when further introspection needs to take place to correct those maladaptive thoughts and emotions that negatively affect their overall mental health.
Stretching and embracing the fullness of my body (photo by me)
Why Writing Helps With Body Positivity
Writing or journaling is an effective way of disassociating yourself from your thoughts, emotions, and/or experiences that negatively influence your perceptions of self and your circumstances. It helps you uncover your limiting beliefs so that you can start to change them. When done with the proper guidance of writing prompts, putting thoughts to paper have been shown to possess the ability to stimulate healthier ways of viewing situations or experiences to positively impact the mental and emotional health of the writer.
Many studies have shown that writing can help relieve stress, manage anxiety and cope with depression.
If you are feeling any negative emotions or have unhealthy thoughts about the way you view your body, writing can help you shift your consciousness into a healthier and happier state. Try using these writing prompts to guide you move towards a consistent state of self love and body positivity.
25 Body Positivity Writing Prompts
Make a list of all the insecurities you have about your body, then write a positive state or affirmation for each one.
Were you taught to think and/or feel this way about your body? If so, by who?
What are your personal beauty standards or physical appearance goals and why?
What will your life be like once you no longer have these thoughts about your body? Be descriptive.
When was the first time you remember having these thoughts and feelings about the way you look?
Write three positive statements about your physical appearance.
Write a love letter to your least favorite body part.
Write about a time you felt most confident in yourself. Did it have anything to do with how you look?
Is your ideal physical appearance realistic to your body type or are you setting yourself up for the impossible?
Does your current lifestyle align with your physical appearance goal? If yes, how so? If not, what changes can you make?
What is something you appreciate or love about your body and why?
Would you encourage someone you love to think and feel the same way about their physical appearance?
What advice would you give someone who had the same thoughts and feelings about their own physical appearance?
What is your definition of beauty?
When you look in the mirror, what is your first immediate thought about your body? What emotion is attached to that thought? Why?
Write three things you love about your body and why.
Make a list of five things you’ve accomplished in life that have nothing to do with how you look.
Does the content you consume (tv, film, social media, books, etc) have an affect on the way you view your body? What changes can you make in this area?
What is something you have been afraid to do because of your body insecurities? How will you feel once you are able to do it?
Write about the qualities you admire about yourself that have nothing to do with how you look.
Do you wish you looked like someone else? Why do you think this would make you happy?
Make a list of five ways you can honor your body.
What is your favorite form of movement?
What is one great memory that would not have been possible without your body?
Write a letter to your body asking for forgiveness for the negative thoughts and feelings you have and make new promises for the future.
Final Words
These writing prompts may seem overwhelming at first glance, but they can be done over time. There’s no specific order you must follow and no required amount of time to finish them all. Pace yourself and don’t feel the need to rush through them.
Allow yourself to feel your emotions and fully process your thoughts before continuing on to the next prompt. It may not be easy to answer some of these writing prompts, but they’re worth trying!
The important thing to remember as you write is to be honest with yourself. No one will read your answers unless you share them so there is no need to fear judgment. Your writing is a safe space for your emotional expression and healing.
