Treat Yo’ Self is not just about buying nice things, it should include pampering your mind and body!

Investing in yourself is more than splurging on the shoes you want but may not need. You can spark joy by freely loving yourself and acknowledging your strengths. Next time you consider treating yourself, why not pay yourself a compliment? Normally, I am in the camp of body neutrality. I don’t think about my bodies shape or attribute adjectives to describe my face — I just exist. I feed myself because it is important.

Body neutrality, I believe, is really minimalist in nature. To challenge myself, I try to enter the mindset of how body positivity can improve my relationship with self care. Moving beyond just doing what is necessary and truly taking pleasure in things that are often criticized as overly material or superficial. In particular, finding the courage to post a photo of myself that others might judge as vain.

I think it is funny how we sometimes tell ourselves not to care about what others think. Like many of you, I recently binged all things Brené Brown and one of my favorite quotes is her meditation on what it means to care. It is okay that we care about our image and reputation and what others are thinking. How we see ourselves is often the image we create when we picture what we look like in the eyes of a friend or from the perspective of a stranger. I know there are days where my own image does not feel entirely mine. But it definitely feels necessary to claim things like our bodies as solely belonging to us.

Women can free each other from judgement

To all of the readers that found this blog- I challenge you to give yourself a positive affirmation every morning and push the negative thoughts away. Just say, “not today satan, not today!” And laugh about it- because it can be hard.

But more importantly, as we take off the mindset of filtering ourselves to society’s standards, we should consider the kinds of filters that can be in place to protect women facing challenges with body image. At some point in high school, I realized that I had a choice in whether or not I replicate the behavior of people around me; people who openly judge others. When I realized my own sense of agency over the kinds of comments I can refrain from making, I felt myself becoming someone who could celebrate others for all of the trivial things in life like posting a picture.

Help others plant their own gardens

Let’s hold each other accountable! When we fall into the habit of discussing another person, especially their physical attributes, remember that it could make the person uncomfortable. Remind each other that we are all doing our best. In respect for others, refocus our attention on what we feel comfortable saying ourselves.

Grow good thoughts

We are all a part of each other’s environments and that makes us responsible for the climate and conditions of everyone’s growth and health.

Let your positivity and confidence rain on others so that they can grow to be the best versions of themselves.

Together, we can grow beyond the boundaries and to new heights.

Self-love, self-acceptance, and self-gratitude are not learned completely alone or within. We don’t have to accept the conditions that we were introduced to as permanent settings to follow throughout our life. To make positive change, it’s crucial to rethink our values and culture and to put into the world the energy we hope will transform it. Spread some good juju!