What Would You Tell Someone Struggling With Body Image? | Healthy Body Image Series Part 4 of 5

After addressing the questions Why Is Body Image So Hard?, What Feeds Unhealthy Body Image?, and How Do You Handle the Struggle With Body Image?, we wanted to know what Ms. Lauren would tell dancers struggling to have a healthy body image. Read her insightful response below and be encouraged by it.

School of Ballet 5:8: What would you tell someone struggling with body image?

Lauren: Focusing time and energy into building a better relationship with your body leads to loving and accepting it. This will require determining what the external influences are that have affected this relationship and figuring out what internal influences you need to be listening to instead. Taking the time to assess where our ideas of body image are coming from and beginning to base our self esteem, not on external influences, but on a more reliable truth is extremely helpful.

I think a negative relationship with our bodies often changes our relationship with food as well. It is important to explore our ideas about food and where they come from. Viewing food as the substance that fuels our body and empowers us to function, helps us to view our eating habits as benefiting the strength and health of our body (which are very important for dancing!) rather than our appearance. Healthy eating is essential for our ability to dance at our fullest potential, free from injury! Take time to evaluate your goals for your body - are they geared toward appearance or health? Keep in mind that healthy looks different for every person. Get to know your body and what foods it needs most to enable it to perform at its best, based on scientific research, not on fads.

Our minds are an important battleground as well - our thoughts are so powerful. Try to start celebrating many different types of bodies in both your words and in your thoughts. Changing the way we perceive others' bodies is key not only in reframing the thoughts we have about ourselves, but also in helping to perpetuate a positive body image in our communities. If you hear body shaming, make sure to speak up or bring it to the attention of your studio director or a trusted adult right away.

Finally, don't try to do it on your own. There is no shame in talking about what we are struggling with. I wholeheartedly believe that we are not made to operate in isolation; we need others to help carry our burdens, to pray with us, and to walk alongside us as we heal.

Be on the lookout for the final part of this series next Tuesday!