At The Dailey Method, join us as we set our focus on a truly inspirational and powerful movement throughout February – Body Positivity! We generally compile our marketing calendar with these types of themes and ideas months in advance and were thrilled to learn that our fitness apparel friends at Athleta – via celebrity spokesperson Alicia Keys, are aligned with us!
As fitness professionals and advocates for self-love, we trust that one of the most effective paths towards self-acceptance and adoring yourself just as you are is through positive self-talk. Through social media and advertising, we also witness an unrealistic standard of beauty that conveys to us in a thousand different ways that somehow we may not be good enough or certainly not up to par. The continual pressure to look a “specific way” translates into deep inner dissatisfaction and raises stress levels when we are coaxed to subscribe to these destructive societal expectations. This is why our belief that concentrating on body positivity is a critical culture for us to embrace and commit to practice every day. We must work intentionally at combating the external influences that skew our view of ourselves and instead set our sights on how beautiful and unique we actually are!
In February we are partnering with the non-profit organization, The Body Positive Organization thebodypositive.org. The Body Positive was founded in 1996 due to a shared passion for creating a lively, healing community that offers freedom from suffocating societal messages that keep people in a perpetual struggle with their bodies. The Body Positive organization strives to teach people to listen to their bodies, learn and thrive. Their ultimate goal is to end the harmful consequences of negative body image: eating disorders, depression, anxiety, cutting, suicide, substance abuse, and relationship violence. They are especially concerned about poor body image in teens and young adults.
The Body Positive Organization’s strategy to support the world’s transformation concerning Body Positivity lies in a sort of ‘behavioral road map they use called “The Be Body Positive” model. This model comprises five core Competencies to allow people to develop self-care behaviors that originate from a place of self-love and appreciation instead of from fear. The 5 Competencies of our Be Body Positive Model are Reclaim Health, Practice Intuitive Self-Care, Cultivate Self-Love, Declare Your Own Authentic Beauty, and Build Community- establish foundational building blocks that honor individual authority as the primary path to positive change.
In support of Body Positivity, we are hosting a donation class for their organization on February 17th 9 AM PST which will be taught by yours truly, Jill Dailey. 🙂 Sign up HERE to take the class (virtually or in studio) or to donate to this essential cause.
We encourage you to acknowledge that your body is your temple. It is a beautiful vessel that carries you through each day so nurture it, love it, celebrate it.
Loving yourself is the greatest revolution. Here are a few ways to show yourself some love this month:
- Truly love the skin you’re in. When you look in the mirror, notice your strong legs that carry you through life instead of critiquing yourself. Acknowledge the strong arms that allow you to carry your children or your groceries and that hold you up in a plank. Place your focus and intention on your strength and the positive virtues of your body.
- Move that gorgeous body every single day. Whether it’s taking a class, enjoying nature on a walk, hike, bike ride, or just having a dance party in your living room. Celebrate moving your body.
- Show your body love by nurturing it. Do small things like filling your body with food and drink that nourishes it, get a massage, take a warm bath with Epsom salts. Give it love, protect it and celebrate it as you watch your body do amazing things for you.
- Be vulnerable about your feelings and share your stories with others. Every person has some “issue” with how they look. If we understand that we are not alone in this- it does tremendous things to lift us up as a community and supports us all to accept the unique beauty we have within us.
- Stop the comparisons, embrace (and love) the things that make you different. Practice lovingly speaking to your body. It’s the only one you’ve got, and your body deserves your respect. Tell it you love it and thank it for taking you through each class, each day, and each event.
- Focus on loving your body through meditation. Here is a powerful one on “Insight Timer” by Jason McGrice that I highly recommend. Note – you need to download the app first to listen. https://insig.ht/ZjwhlZ2j8mb
Lastly, I want to leave you with a quote spoken by my friend and yoga Teacher Bex Urban:
“You have a capable body, be willing to say thank you to this body, the breath, the movement and the ability to shapeshift. Gratefulness changes the way we see ourselves and the world, thank you for this body.”
With powerful self-love,
Jill