70 Body Neutrality Affirmations (+ Free Printable)
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Last Updated on July 24, 2023
Is body acceptance feeling like a constant battle? Does self-love feel impossibly out of reach? If so, maybe body positivity isn’t the answer for you right now. Luckily, there’s a healthy alternative.
Introducing…body neutrality. Body neutrality takes the pressure off of the need to “love” your body. Instead, it’s simply accepting your body as neither here nor there, without thinking too much about it one way or the other.
While body positivity can be amazing to work toward, it can feel discouraging if you’re just not there yet. Sometimes, we’re better off setting smaller, more attainable goals, at least in the short-term.
The body neutrality movement is perfect for this! These body neutrality affirmations will reinforce this idea and help you achieve it.
What Is Body Neutrality?
Body neutrality represents a mindset shift from disgust and discontent with your body, to appreciating, respecting, and accepting your body.
Many women with negative feelings about their bodies tend to hyper-fixate and obsess over what their bodies look like. These thoughts can be all-consuming and downright awful to deal with.
By working toward body neutrality, the goal is not necessarily to swing into the far-end of the spectrum, AKA body positivity. Body neutrality creates a happy medium that can feel more realistic and attainable to achieve.
Can you imagine what it would feel like to simply think about your body less? To not feel the need to body-check with every mirror you pass?
That’s the main idea of body neutrality. To get to a place where body image thoughts don’t take up so much mental space.
Body Neutrality Examples
What does body neutrality look like, exactly? Here’s a clearer picture of body neutrality examples:
- Thanking your body for what it does, not how it looks – your body is so much more than your appearance. Your body is a vessel that helps you walk, dance, laugh, and navigate through life. That’s pretty darn cool. And totally worth focusing on!
- Cutting body comparisons – this one is way easier said than done, I know. There seems to be a “perfect” body at every twist and turn of social media. Allow your body to exist just as it is without passing judgment. Unfollow accounts that trigger comparison. Comparison is the thief of joy, after all.
- Stop judging yourself – if a negative thought creeps up about your body, refrain from judging the thought or getting frustrated. You can quiet the voice of your inner critic by simply noticing these thoughts and reminding yourself that you deserve the same level of compassion that you would give a friend.
- Separate your self-worth from your appearance – this one is SO important. But oh so hard when society keeps reinforcing it. But the truth is that your worth is not determined by how you look. Your body is probably the least interesting thing about you. Your personality, character traits, and what you give to the world matter so much more.
What Is Body Positivity Vs. Body Neutrality?
Both of these concepts are perfectly valid and serve different purposes, depending on your goals. You might find that one approach helps you more than the other, and that’s fine. With both body positivity and body neutrality, a healthier relationship with your body is the main objective.
Body Neutrality
- Encourages a neutral, balanced perspective about your body
- Has a goal of shifting your focus away from evaluating your appearance
- Reduces the need for validation, especially external validation
- Helps you view your body as simply one part of who you are, giving it no more value than anything else
- Advocates for acceptance and respect for your body, without the pressure to “love” it.
- Frees yourself from the pressure of obsessing over body image–both positively and negatively
Body Positivity
- Encourages a strong sense of self-love and positive feelings toward your body
- Celebrating your body no matter how it fluctuates
- Aims to combat body shaming
- Has the ultimate goal of feeling confident in your skin
- Strives for a sense of empowerment and pride about your body
70 Body Neutrality Affirmations for Self-Appreciation and Respect
Ready to achieve a mindset of body neutrality? Want to encourage yourself to accept your body and focus on its health and wellness, rather than appearance? Then you’re in the right place!
Don’t forget about these body neutrality affirmations! Pin below to come back later.
What Are Some Neutral Affirmations About Body Image?
Body Neutrality Affirmations
- I deserve to respect my body at all different stages of its appearance.
- I refuse society’s pressure to judge my body.
- My value is so much more than my physical form.
- I accept my body’s unique differences.
- I’m grateful for all that my body allows me to do.
- My body is not an object for others to evaluate.
- I release the need for external validation.
- My body’s main function is as a vessel that takes me through my life.
- It’s okay to have negative thoughts about my body sometimes. I observe those thoughts without judgment.
- My body has nothing to do with my self-worth.
- I don’t think about my body very often.
- Self-care is more important than chasing an ambiguous “ideal” appearance.
- Bodies change and that’s okay.
- Experiencing body changes throughout my life only adds to the beauty of it.
- I am a whole individual with far more to me than just my body.
- My body only makes up one small part of who I am.
- My body is the least interesting thing about me.
RELATED: 80+ Self Worth Affirmations to Validate Yourself
Healthy Body Affirmations
- I honor my body’s cues for things like hunger and rest because my body knows what it needs.
- I appreciate my body’s ability to heal and grow.
- I feel good about nourishing my body with the foods it needs.
- I understand that eating a balance of healthy foods and more “fun” foods is necessary for my mental well-being.
- I release the need to be strict on myself or on my diet.
- I enjoy physical activity not to burn calories, but to feel the good rush of endorphins and feel strong and healthy.
- I get to choose movement that I enjoy.
- I give my body the rest and relaxation it deserves, especially when it’s asking for it.
- Every day, I am getting healthier both mentally and physically.
- I feel very in tune with my body and what it’s trying to say to me.
- I make choices that serve my body’s best interests.
- I release any tension I’m currently holding onto in my body.
- I allow my body to relax and let go.
- I feel optimistic on this journey of becoming my healthiest self.
- I can take this journey at my own pace.
- Progress isn’t linear and that’s okay.
- I deserve to invest my time and effort into my body’s health and overall happiness.
- My body and its health are a priority.
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Body Acceptance Affirmations
- I am on my own path, so it doesn’t make sense to compare myself to others on different paths.
- I am at peace with my body.
- I appreciate my body in the present moment.
- My body deserves to be accepted, respected, and treated with compassion.
- There is no such thing as a “perfect” body, so why chase it?
- My body doesn’t have to fit into such narrow beauty standards.
- The “ideal” body type changes every decade, so it’s a standard no one will achieve (nor do they need to!).
- There is beauty to be noticed among a wide variety of body types.
- I feel free by letting go of body obsession.
- I release any negative thoughts or beliefs I have about myself and my body.
- I deserve to fill my mind with things that fuel me and uplift me.
- I let go of past habits or thought patterns that aren’t serving me.
- I accept my body exactly as it exists right now.
- I feel at peace with my body’s current shape and size, knowing that it doesn’t really mean anything about me.
- My body is not perfect, but no one’s is. This is normal.
- Beauty is what I define it as.
- My body is not my enemy.
More affirmations on body neutrality, positivity, acceptance, or any body image goal!
Affirmations for a Balanced View of Body Image
- I don’t burden myself with comparing my body to others.
- I can enjoy the foods I love responsibly and still accept the way I look.
- Life’s too short to restrict myself. I commit to living a full, rich life.
- My body carries me through all the fun-filled adventures of my life.
- I do not take my body for granted, instead appreciating all the experiences it has allowed me to have.
- For each negative body image thought, I replace it with a more neutral, balanced thought.
- I am always worthy of acceptance no matter what I look like.
- I release the need to hide my body. I will wear whatever I enjoy.
- Body criticism has no place in my life.
- I honor and appreciate my body and all of the amazing things it helps me do.
- I put more emphasis on loving who I am as a person, rather than my body.
- Negative comments, even my own, do not define my body.
- I release any feelings of shame or guilt and replace them with self-compassion.
- I treat myself and my body with the same kindness I would treat my best friend with.
- I know that I am always worthy of acceptance.
- There’s so much more to life than how I look.
- I’m grateful to be able-bodied and able to be doing what I am doing right now.
- A healthy, happy mindset is within my reach.
RELATED: 110 Beauty Affirmations to Spark Confidence Inside and Out
Affirmations for body image are a helpful coping tool, but you’ll find the most benefit if you pair them with therapy. Talking to an online therapist can really help you out. It’s helped me tremendously! I always recommend Online Therapy because it’s a comprehensive, effective online therapy toolkit at an affordable monthly cost. Get 20% off your first month with the link below!
How to Use Affirmations to Encourage Body Neutrality
By using these body neutrality affirmations, they can be a powerful way to shift your mindset toward a more balanced, accepting view of your body.
Follow these steps to get the most out of your affirmations:
- Identify your goals with body neutrality – what exactly, in regards to your mindset, are you trying to achieve? Are you hoping to reduce negative self-talk? Want to work toward being less fixated on your body? Knowing what you want to get out of body neutrality will guide you in choosing the right affirmations.
- Choose affirmations that match your goals – with 70 body neutrality affirmations on this list, you have a lot to choose from! Pick the affirmations that resonate most with you. Think about what you’ve always needed to hear.
- Practice your affirmations daily – affirmations are not a “set it and forget it” endeavor. They quite frankly won’t work if you only do them once! You need consistent, repetitive reinforcement in order to shift your mindset. Carve out just a few minutes each day to practice these body neutrality affirmations for the best results.
- Make affirmations your go-to defense against negative thoughts – when we’re under stress, it can be hard to use (or even think about) our coping skills. Practice being intentional with yourself the next time a negative thought creeps in. Always pair a negative thought with a positive affirmation that counters it. The more you do this, the more it will become second nature and make a huge difference.
The Body Neutrality Movement May Be Just The Thing For You
I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about the body positivity movement, but likely not so much about body neutrality before today. But body neutrality is the perfect solution for many who struggle with body image but find it difficult to imagine jumping from self-hate to self-love.
And that’s totally fair!
Choose goals that work for your life. Take baby steps. Take it one day at a time. Coming to a place of simple acceptance and respect for your body is a HUGE milestone in and of itself. So if you can get there, I’m positive you can do anything. One day, your body won’t be something you obsess over.
Final little friendly reminder: your body is not the sole measure of your worth.
Body Neutrality Affirmations PDF
Want to print out this list of body neutrality affirmations? Grab the FREE PDF version of these affirmations by clicking below! Post them on your bedroom wall, next to your desk, or wherever you could use the support most.
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