Reclaiming Your Body: How To Take A Body Positive Selfie

Reclaiming Your Body: How To Take A Body Positive Selfie

When you take a selfie, what kind of self-talk do you experience? Do you take ten or more pictures, and then critique yourself before posting the best one? Do you love the way your body looks in every picture, or do you focus on your flaws?

Body positivity starts with the little, everyday actions that we experience on a regular basis. Like selfies! Taking selfies has often been shot down by the media as selfish, inwardly focused, and a sign of self-centeredness— but it doesn’t have to be! Find out how you can start embracing your body and restructuring your thoughts on selfies! #reclaimingtheselfie #unfiltered

Your body image doesn’t have to be negative, and if you’re suffering from poor body image in addition to or separate from an eating disorder, please reach out to a professional as soon as possible.

Why Selfies?

Selfies have always had a bad rap. They’re considered “basic,” selfish, and the people that take them are self-centered. This is partly due to our society’s inclination to bash everything that women, especially younger women, enjoy. Think pumpkin spice lattes, Uggs, and other “basic” items.

Selfie: a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.

This doesn’t have to be you! Selfies are a great way to experiment with your look, especially with the new filters that have popped up around social media (but more on that in a minute!). They’re a great way to connect with your friends and family, and are an important tracking tool for your health, wellness, and aging process.

A beautiful face will age and a perfect body will change, but a beautiful soul will always be a beautiful soul.  Unknown

What An Eating Disorder Therapist Thinks About Selfies

There are a lot of great things about selfies, but as with almost anything, they can be negative, too. Focusing too much on flaws is just one way that selfies can be damaging to body positivity and mental health.

Taking a selfie or even multiple isn’t a bad thing. It’s a great way to share content about your life, show off an outfit, and display your preferences. However, when selfie taking becomes less about a fun way to share, and more about how other people think of you, it can be a slippery slope towards how many “likes” a selfie can get you. In one sense, it’s about sharing content and being yourself. In the other, it’s about racing to the finish line of who can get the most likes.

The goal is not evaluation or comparison with others. The goal is to have fun and celebrate yourself (which isn’t selfish!). Below are a few tips to ensure that your selfies are body positive!

1. Take selfies doing activities that you enjoy. When it’s not just about your appearance, and it’s also a memory from a cool experience (scuba diving trip, farmer’s market excursion, trip to the library, etc.), it’s more positive.
2. Snap a makeup free selfie. Sharing your face and body in a natural way, free from makeup and filters, can be a great way to ensure that you’re celebrating your true self. There is always a time and a place for makeup, but this type of selfie-taking is about sharing your true self and stepping outside of your comfort zone.
3. Spread the love. You’ll probably see a few selfies from your friends today, let alone every day for the rest of social media’s existence. Wouldn’t it be nice to offer them a compliment on something you love about them? Sharing the love and bolstering you friend’s confidence will make both of you feel great! Practice giving compliments that are not strictly based on physical appearance.  
4. Follow more body positive accounts on social media. Filling your feed with the kindness and body positivity of others will go a long way for your mental health! Find body positive accounts to follow, so that you’re getting the messages you want to have!

Get Help From An Eating Disorder Therapist

If you’re struggling with what you’re seeing online or on social media, talking with a trained eating disorder therapist can help you figure out how to turn your thoughts away from your flaws and into more body positivity.

I see clients daily that are held captive by the pressures of social media.  It sucks them in and it feels like a bottomless pit— where they cannot seem to get out of the social shackles of perfection.  Selfies are important tools to communicate our personal message and brand to the world (the Kardashians have made their fortune doing this!). Your family and friends are interested in you, not your body.  Sharing a selfie can help others get to know more about you. Take selfies wearing your favorite shirt, at a frequented location, or with your pet that you love! No matter what you share, your authenticity will shine through!  ~Erica Faulhaber

Whether it’s the voice of an eating disorder (“ED”) or inner critic that instructs you to not love yourself, restoration IS possible! You can work with a trained eating disorder therapist to determine where you are struggling and devise a plan together to offer you the support and help you need.

If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder or negative body image, contact an eating disorder therapist right away. Call 720-306-1631 to set up your free 30 minute consultation where we can check in with what’s present for you and you may ask a trained eating disorder therapist any questions you might have. Feel free to reach out however it is most comfortable for you.

© Erica Faulhaber 2018 – This blog may be shared or reprinted as long as the information is unedited and the author bio, including contact information is printed along with the blog.