3 insights into being more body positive.

My time as a nudist has led me to explore more than just the stunning nude beaches and nudist resorts of the world…

It has further inspired me to embark on a more purposeful journey of raising awareness about, and encouraging, body positivity. As a thirty year old, I have witnessed the rapid rise of social media and, with that, the pressures that a ‘filtered age’ have placed upon body image. An age where the beauty industry sells us our definition of ‘beautiful’ through the narrowed and distorted lens of the media, and where consumerism prevails and profit is the goal; it is a breeding ground for mass consumerism, greed, materialism, narcissism, divide and loathing. We must be the pioneers to step in and steer it in a direction which ushers in acceptance, self-love, positivity and union. So I believe that, now more than ever, it is of utmost importance to grow into our most authentic state and have the talk about body positivity.

MY PERSONAL JOURNEY HAS LED TO ME UNDERSTAND BODY POSITIVITY AS BEING AT ONE WITH MY BODY WITHOUT BEING DEFINED BY IT.

I believe that being defined by our bodies is what creates the unhealthy relationship between the mind and body in the first place. Most of the time, we become defined by our bodies rather unconsciously, from the moment we enter into this world in this form. Whether it’s because of cultural upbringing, societal conditioning, systematic patriarchal norms, personal experiences or pop culture, we are conditioned to see ourselves in a way that puts us at odds with our bodies. From unhealthy obsession to complete disconnect, being defined by the physical form can manifest itself in various ways. Narcissism, self-loathing and low self-esteem are prime expressions of this manifestation, and all of which tend to be rooted in superficiality and impermanence.

When we are defined by our bodies, it is usually within the limiting parameters of the unconscious mind. Often, we become attached to our body’s stories…its ‘problems’, its ‘glories’ etc and, as a result, our inner-growth and our ability to wholly accept ourselves can be stifled. We become limited in attaining our infinite potential beyond our physical form, and we either strive for glorification, resort to self-harm (over-eating, starvation, physical mutilation etc) or completely neglect ourselves altogether (often resulting in a complete disconnect between the mind and body).

FOR ME, BODY POSITIVITY CONTINUES TO BE ABOUT DISCERNMENT. IT IS ABOUT NURTURING A HEALTHY MIND-BODY RELATIONSHIP AND NURTURING MY BODY IN A WAY THAT FOSTERS THE GROWTH OF MY AUTHENTIC SELF.

Being bullied in my teenage years was tough, and the negative comments and presumptions about me as a person led me down a path of self-enquiry. I learnt that others’ judgments of me were more so a reflection of them and actually had little to do with me…this understanding still helps me today to not allow others’ judgements of me to affect me

I believe that our view of body image starts from deep within. Our own sense of self-esteem is usually a by-product of years and years of conditioning and programming, much of which is unconscious. Until we start to become aware of our own mind-body relationship, this unconscious conditioning tends to define our definition of ‘beautiful’, and even our own sense of worth. I understand that the body positive journey is different and unique for each and every individual, but no matter what shape, size, age or colour you are, you should feel positive in your body. It is your right. You are worthy of your own acceptance and love.

In order to work with ourselves, we should be open to engaging in self-inquiry and willing to objectively observe our perception of reality. Here are three insights I have found helpful on my body positive journey that I hope can help you to develop a healthier mind-body relationship to help you along on your body positive path.

1: Understanding the illusion

Being body positive means we begin to break down and break through society’s insidious and warped view of the human body. Firstly, we must start to become aware of the images we’re being sold by the ‘beauty’ industry. We must learn to be discerning so that the pressures of the media begin to bear less weight as we awaken to the media’s stronghold and learn to detach from it.

How do we get to this stage?

“BY UNDERSTANDING THAT CORPORATIONS NOT ONLY SELL PRODUCTS, THEY SELL MINDSETS TOO”.

There is just no way we can keep up with ‘trending’ standards these days, they change so often.

For these industries, there is no money in self-worth and so they have cleverly and cunningly created and redefined, time and time again, what ‘beautiful’ is. When profit is their motive, and greed their fuel, we must learn to be discerning. Their aim is to have us feeling incomplete, and therefore seeking things externally to potentially fill that ‘void’. Body image has been one of the main culprits. I honestly believe this is a heinous crime but one we continue to pay for, in both aspects of the word…from our wallet and our own self-esteem.

So why do we continue to accept this as the norm?

Well, firstly, it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the incessant barrages of the media. We are being berated with these images, messages and campaigns left, right and center. All you have to do these days is scroll through your Instagram feed to know what I am talking about. It has infiltrated our society in the most cunning of ways.

This is why it is so important to become conscious about what you’re watching, what you’re listening to and what you’re following. Similar to ingesting food, these images and messages enter our bodies, only this time through our eyes and ears. They are then digested in a way in which we have been rather unconsciously programmed to process them and leave behind an imprint on the mind. So, just the way we are becoming more aware of the foods we put into our bodies, we must also do the same with what we allow into our minds.

It’s all the same…body shaming is body shaming…skinny or fat.

I know so many females who follow accounts that make them feel inferior. Can you, perhaps, identify with this scenario in any way? If you are yet to harness your own confidence and self-esteem, start changing that. Stop engaging in activities that instigate negativity and negative thought patterns. We must learn to recognise these seemingly small acts of self-sabotage. This is where we are truly able to empower ourselves and make a difference. It is through the conscious decision to choose to become aware. Aware of the manipulation of the media, and aware of the mindless habits we tend to also engage in. So whilst it would be easy enough to sit back and blame the media and society for our body-image woes, the only person we have any real power over is our self, and so we must take matters into our own hands, take responsibility for our own shit and get to work.

“BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD” – MAHATMA GANDHI

When we begin to do this, we begin to cultivate a sense of self-love. We begin to make conscious decisions to stop engaging in negative behavioural patterns.

2: Cultivate self-love

BELIEVE ME, I STILL HAVE MY MOMENTS OF SELF-DOUBT AND INSECURITY.

This journey is not without its bumps and obstacles, and I wouldn’t want to give you all that false impression either. It is about learning to be able to identify and detach from these negative thoughts and insecurities and not allowing for them to define us, our reality or our state of mind. It is also about learning to be kind and compassionate towards ourselves, especially in these tumultuous moments. It is about loving ourselves unconditionally…because we’re worth it! Approaching these matters consciously and lovingly is what makes all the difference. By doing this, we are already on the path of cultivating self-love.

Our bodies are so inclined to change over time that it would be unrealistic to become attached to a desired physical outcome. How about we aim for optimal HEALTH and longevity…so that our bodies can be the most optimal vessel for an experience full of vitality

Being at one with our body means we accept, embrace and honour it. This in itself is such a precious act of self-love, as we nurture the union of our mental and physical states. By ACCEPTING our bodies, we cease resisting what is. Acceptance is vital in allowing contentment to flow into our lives. By EMBRACING our bodies, we celebrate its unique and miraculous nature. We stop striving to look a certain way for a surface-level form of societal acceptance. By HONOURING the body, we understand that this is our temple, and so we treat is as such. We cultivate gratitude toward it.

I BELIEVE THAT BEAUTY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ATTAINED, BUT IS SOMETHING ALREADY WITHIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

Once we can truly grasp this concept, we come to the realisation that we are not, and should not be, defined by our bodies, or the ‘I’m too skinny…I’m too fat…my hormones this…my genetics that…’ stories. I know this may trigger some people. When we can learn to relinquish the attachment to these stories and this unhealthy relationship with self, I believe we are able to see with more clarity, less impaired by any conditioning we have consciously and unconsciously endured.

All of this is not to say that I am discrediting that these feelings are not legitimate or justified, I just believe that it is the attachment and identification with this image of self that is unhealthy. If you are unhappy with something about yourself…ask yourself why. If it is because of unhealthy habits, challenge yourself to change them for the better. If it is because you feel the need to fit in, or because you think you need to look a certain way…well then fuck that!

Fuck society’s standards and ideals. Fuck the media’s manipulation. Fuck corporate greed.

Surround yourself with people that love and accept you for YOU. Don’t settle or wait to be accepted. When we cultivate self-love and value our own sense of worth, we do not allow others’ judgements to define our view of self. We begin to realise that their judgements are merely a reflection of their own state of mind, and essentially bare no weight in how we see ourselves.

This is a photo from one of my beautiful mixed naked yoga sessions in Sydney.

Surround yourself with people who accept you for YOU. Surround yourself with people who celebrate you and your body.

3: Set intention for why you do what you do

ADD PURPOSE TO WHAT YOU DO.

We are constantly engaging in habitual acts of self-love and care, albeit rather mindlessly. For e.g. brushing your teeth, showering, moisturising. So rather than doing these activities mindlessly, begin to do them mindfully…with intention.

Make the effort to become aware of whether or not your perception is serving you. If it is not, brainstorm ways you may be able to alter it. Food is a big one! Eat, primarily, to fuel your body, not to strive for a particular physical outcome, size or shape (see the difference between intentions? The first is based on health and rooted in self-love and the latter is more of a superficial desire). I believe this distinction is crucial. If we begin to eat in a way in which we look to food as fuel and medicine, I believe that the physical benefits will follow.

Me and my beetroot juice. My aim is not to be skinny, but to be the healthiest version of myself so that my body can thrive and my Soul can get the most out of this experience in the physical realm.

I took this photo in October last year when I talked about being alcohol free for 3 years.

Another easy and beautiful one is to massage on your moisturiser and remind yourself of the love you have for yourself through your own touch. These are all practices each and every one of us can begin today. They may seem small, but the cumulative effect and intention is what will re-wire your neural pathways.

Become aware of the role you play in recognising beauty, in helping to stop contributing to what exacerbates this already unhealthy societal ideal of ‘beauty’. It is about shining the light on those tiny and unconscious habits most of us unknowingly engage in, such as when we make a comment on the way someone looks…skinny or fat! These days, commenting on someone that is fat is an outrage, but not so much when it is about someone who is skinny…IT IS JUST THE SAME! And it is these small things which continue to exacerbate the problem. We have to stop with the double standards! I believe we need to work on polarities here.

WHILST WE MUST WORK TO STOP BODY-SHAMING, WE MUST ALSO BECOME AWARE OF AND WORK ON HOW MUCH WE ARE PRAISING, IDEALISING AND ASPIRING TOWARD SOMETHING OTHER THAN OUR OWN ACCEPTANCE AND CONTENTMENT.

We must become more conscious of our unconscious behaviour. Whether it’s pointing out a body feature you want to change, or whether it’s idealising another body type… these are all messages we are sending to ourselves every time we even think it. Be grateful for what you have. Perhaps make it a habit that, every time you catch yourself in the mirror, you remind yourself of something that you love about yourself.

Change the way you perceive beauty. Make it work for you. Make it make you a more positive and higher vibrational human. You are capable. You have far more power over your thoughts than a beauty ad or campaign. When we can learn to focus our energy toward having positive and loving intentions, we begin to manifest a positive and loving environment. Our perception begins to shift, and so does our reality.

This is a photo of me life modelling in Byron Bay. Completely naked in front of a group of strangers, everything out there for all to see. Again, any thoughts that arise around how others may be judging me remind me that those judgements would merely be a reflection of them, and in these moments, I am reminded to be kind to myself because I am worthy of my own love and compassion…and by doing this for myself, I remind others to do the same for themselves.

And what a beautiful offering that is.

I hope that this article, at least, inspires you to be more conscious about body positivity. I hope that, after having read this, you walk away with the intention of integrating body positivity and self-love practices into your life. We only have one body in this lifetime, so let’s work toward loving every bit of it.

With the internet and social media launching us into this sense of immediacy and instant reality, we must be the pioneers to steer it in a direction which ushers in acceptance, self love, positivity and union.

Be that change, starting within…starting today. Let us be the ones to leave a lasting legacy of love and union.

Much love,

The Nude Blogger

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