Making Peace with the Body You Call Home

You are here:
MyConciergeMD | Making Peace with the Body You Call Home

Does your body feel more like a battleground than a sanctuary? If so, you’re not alone. Societal pressures, harsh inner critics, and even health challenges can all affect the way you view your body. The sooner you realize your body is your forever home and make peace with it, the better. However, this isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. Dismissing your struggles and forcing yourself to love your body can’t be done on command. Instead, making peace with the body you call home is a process. That’s why, in the rest of this article, we’ll do our best to guide you through this process and share all the little tips and tricks to make it as effective as possible.

Understand the Stories You’ve Been Told

Society talks a lot about the ideal appearance or the ideal body. Similarly, it talks a lot about the not-so ideal bodies and body shapes we see every day all around us. Since childhood, you’ve probably heard countless little comments here and there about somebody’s size, maybe even your own. Or perhaps, in school, you noticed your body looked different from your friends. You’ve definitely noticed your body doesn’t look like the one you’d see in a magazine or on billboards, and after some time, that most likely affected you in one way or the other.

These stories shape how we see ourselves. They shape how we show up in the world and how we allow ourselves to be loved. However, there’s one thing that you can never forget: stories can be rewritten. Once you start paying attention to the narratives you’ve been served, it’s your turn to reexamine them. When you look in the mirror, what words come up? When you think about your body, what’s the tone of your inner voice? Is it kind or cruel? Once you identify the stories, you can start asking: Is this mine to hold? Is this really true? You get to decide which narratives to release and which ones to keep.

Shift From Judgment to Appreciation

When you’re bombarded with dozens of weight loss supplements and medicine ads every day, it’s hard not to judge your body for what it looks like compared to what society says it “should” look like. However, this judgment is the least helpful thing in making peace with the body you call home.

One of the best ways to shift your mindset and start appreciating your body is to focus on the things your body does for you rather than what it looks like. For instance, appreciate your legs because they carry you through the day. Appreciate your lungs because they keep you alive with every breath. And your arms let you hug the people you love. Isn’t that kind of miraculous? When you see your body as a collection of functions and experiences rather than flaws, it becomes easier to approach it with gratitude.

Challenge the Idea That Your Body Is a “Project”

Scrap the idea that you have to have a glow-up. We live in a culture that treats bodies like never-ending projects, always giving you a checklist of things that you should fix about your appearance and become “the best version of yourself” or “get snatched”. And it starts at a much younger age than before; a study in Georgia found out girls start evaluating their bodies at the age of 11! So, it comes as no surprise that those very young people grow up and start making checklists filled with diet trends, fitness goals, and long skincare and beauty regimens. All of these things almost seem designed to sell you things instead of making you feel better.

There’s a fine line between doing things that are good for you and constantly trying to mold your body into something else. Ask yourself: Who am I doing this for? What do I hope will change if I reach this goal? If the answer feels tied to validation or acceptance, it might be worth examining.

Your body is not a problem to solve. It’s not a checklist to complete. Similarly, you are not a work-in-progress. You are a person deserving of love right now, exactly as you are.

Take Care of Yourself Without Strings Attached

Something, the internalized stigma runs so deep we don’t even recognize it. Because of that, we approach what should be “self-care” with an actual, hidden agenda. Usually, it’s something like: I’ll work out so I can lose weight. Or, I’ll eat healthily so I can look better. But what if you removed the strings? What if you started working out because it feels good, not because you want to have a smaller body? What if you eat nutritious food because it fuels you, not because you think it might clear your skin? (Hint: it probably won’t.)

Stop looking at self-care as a transaction. When you care for yourself from a place of compassion rather than shame, it’s so much easier to stick with it. You deserve to feel good—mentally, physically, emotionally—and that can start with small, intentional acts of care.

Go for a walk because it clears your mind. Rest when your body asks for it. Eat the foods that make you feel strong and satisfied. Care for yourself because you are worth caring for, no strings attached.

Find Inspiration Beyond Appearance

We are all so much more than how we look. Don’t believe me – think about the people you love the most. Do you love your mom because she has perfect skin? Do you love your best friend because she’s skinny? Probably not. You love and admire other people because of who they are and how they act. Well, what if you looked at yourself the same way you would look at your best friend? You’re a friend, a partner, a dreamer, a hard worker. The way you look is the least interesting thing about you.

Learning to see yourself as a whole person and not just a body is key to fostering self-acceptance. The journey often involves challenging long-held beliefs and embracing new approaches to wellness. Time Wellness Georgia explores ways to balance mental and physical health, offering a deeper understanding of how to reconnect with and care for your body in a sustainable and compassionate way.

Give Yourself Permission to Be Imperfect

Even with all the body positivity or body neutrality in the world, at the end of the day, you’re just a human. Making peace with your body doesn’t mean you’ll feel good about your body every day for the rest of your life.

We won’t lie; there will be days when you struggle and fall down a rabbit hole, contemplating new ways to get fit. And that’s totally fine. Peace doesn’t mean perfection; it means acceptance. It means showing up for yourself even on the hard days. It means being gentle to yourself when the old, bad thoughts creep in or when you’re not where you hoped you’d be.

Healing your relationship with your body is not linear. Some days, it will feel like two steps forward and one step back. In the end, you just gotta make sure you’re always looking forward.

Your Body Is Your Home—Treat It Like One

At the end of the day, your body is your body. No matter if you want it or not, it just is. It’s where you experience everything from joy to love to sadness. You don’t have to love every part of it all the time, but you can choose to treat it with kindness. You can choose to soften the way you talk to yourself. Making peace with the body you call home is to choose to see your body not as the enemy but as a partner in this one wild and precious life. And with little work, all that’s possible.

Share this post

Book Appointment