We know that learning to love your body and accepting it as it changes throughout your life can be a difficult task. Especially with everything we are constantly seeing in the media – there are (often unrealistic) expectations that our bodies should look certain ways at certain times of our lives.
Whether it’s through changes by puberty, becoming a parent, changing jobs, injury/illness or growing older, we can all take a leaf (or 2) out of these books for befriending our bodies in today’s society.
1. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are – Brené Brown
Learn how to stop comparing yourself and forgive yourself for not being who you think you are supposed to be.
2. The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
Finding a way to reconnect with a disconnected body after the effects of trauma.
3. Body Positive Power: How To Stop Dieting, Make Peace With Your Body, And Live – Megan Jayne Crabbe
A way to prioritise self-love without the cringe cliches – through personal anecdotes and deconstructing diet culture.
4. Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight – Linda Bacon
Based on evidence-based nutrition information – how fighting against our bodies can actually make it hold onto more weight and impact our health.
5. Come as You Are – Emily Nagoski
A non-judgemental and open look into our anatomy and how psychology impacts our sexuality.
6. Fat! So? Because You Don’t Have To Apologise For Your Size – Marilyn Wann
Learning that there is nothing wrong with taking up space and about the acceptance of bodies at any size.
7. You are a Badass – Jen Sincero
How to improve your confidence and embrace yourself fully.
8. The Self-Love Experiment – Shannon Kaiser
Finding a way to put yourself first and discover purpose in your life.
9. Daring Greatly – Brené Brown
Embracing vulnerability to become empowered in life-changing ways.
10. The Body is not an Apology – Sonya Renee Taylor
Focuses on loving your body and combatting body shaming.
