5 Journal Prompts to Foster Body Appreciation
Written by Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN
Journaling can help you to reflect, process, and release thoughts and feelings. Especially as you’re working on improving your relationship to your body, journaling can help you process struggles you’re having and foster more appreciation for your body.
Below, we’re sharing a few of our favorite journaling prompts to foster body appreciation. So cozy up with a warm or refreshing beverage, grab your favorite pen and notebook, and reflect on the following prompts. You can return to them as often as feels right for you.
1.How has my body supported me today?
Our bodies support us in many ways, but we often take these for granted. We may only focus on the ways our bodies bring us discomfort, whether that be physical or emotional.
Yet, our bodies support us every second of the day just through our breath. There’s also so much your body does behind the scenes that you may not even think of.
So, reflect on what your body has done today to support you. If you had a relaxing day, then maybe it means thanking your body for allowing you to make a cup of tea or for all the behind-the-scenes work it has done to recover from the stress of the week.
If you did something more taxing, then think of the ways your body helped you get it done.
List the ways your body has supported you today. Over time, you may be able to bring this mindfulness and gratitude into your day to day relationship with your body.
2. What has my body allowed me to do today that has brought me joy?
This question is kind of two-fold. It invites you to think of something that brought you joy today, while also recognizing the role your body played in allowing you to find that joy.
First, practice gratitude by thinking of a moment of joy you had today.
Next, think: How was your body an instrument to finding that joy? Did it carry you to a certain location? Did it support you in letting out a laugh? Did it release endorphins that made you feel good?
There are many ways your body will have supported you in finding that joy. Reflect on what they are.
3. What can I say or do for my body to show gratitude?
Time to take some action. What are affirmations or words of thanks you can say to your body to demonstrate that gratitude?
After you write them down, you can even speak to your body in the mirror. It may feel weird at first, but find a private space and do your thing! It can help strengthen your relationship to your body.
Additionally, reflect on actions you can take to show your body gratitude. This could be something like taking a day to rest, cooking yourself a meal, stretching, doing a self-massage, or anything else you can think of that would show your body thanks for what it does for you.
Make a list and refer back to it when you’re having a bad body image day.
4. Write a love letter to your younger self.
Think about your first memory of struggling to accept or love your body. How old were you? What would you want that child to know? Write that child a letter.
Tell her what she should really know about her body, about how wonderful it is regardless of what diet culture says. Tell her what you wish you knew then.
This can be very individual, but many of us probably wish we could have steered ourselves better. This prompt is about tending to your inner child.
Within you, there may still be that hurt child who was told somewhere along the line that her body wasn’t good enough or that it needed to change. That is who you want to speak to and extend compassion to in this letter.
5. Write a love letter to your here-and-now body.
It may feel challenging, but try to lean into that discomfort and push yourself to send some loving words to your body. Whatever you can muster will do, but push the bounds of your comfort.
We’ve been taught by society to hate our bodies and to try to change them, so it makes sense if it feels weird to send love to your body. I encourage you to do it anyway!
This exercise can be repeated, and ideally it will get easier over time.
This letter may be more reflective of a love-hate relationship, and that’s okay. But make sure to include the love part, and try leaning into that most of all.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
If you liked this post, you may also like:
Saying 'I feel fat' can be harmful. Here's what to say instead.
