Every January 1st rolls around, and we’re bombarded with a slew of advertisements reminding us how we can be happier, healthier, skinnier and try-hardier in the new year…if only we buy the life-changing program X or product Y. Or we exercise in a way that is grueling, but not necessarily fun. Or we cut out all those foods we like for a month and eat a bowl of cereal twice a day, all in the name of losing weight. (Seriously, how was that ever a thing?)
We’re encouraged to make a resolution to improve ourselves in the new year, and boy can that feel mighty. Deciding on a course of action gives us a high of strength + resolve…which starts to crumble when we realize that we aren’t enjoying ourselves, or that we’ve created a resolution based on a borrowed sense of purpose.
To all of those lackluster resolutions, I have one thing to say: hooey!
Happiness is an internal creation, influenced by external factors. Health is a concept defined differently–and measured by different standards–for each individual. As a lifelong do-it-yourselfer, I’m pretty sure that cultivating happiness and self-love is a DIY kinda project: not the kind of thing you can buy off the shelf.
So in 2014, let’s focus on a simple resolution we can all get behind: self-love. There are many ways to show yourself generosity and compassion, and one of the most powerful is by cultivating a healthy relationship with your body. So often, the subtle and prevalent message coming from the media is to villanize the body. Subtly, pervasively, we are encouraged to spend hours scrutinizing ourselves and learning about new flaws to identify…and learning which products and programs promise to fix something that isn’t even broken.
Ditch this mentality. Ditch it now, ditch it hard, and remind yourself to keep ditching it every time it comes creeping in to ruin your day. When we spend our time focused on the negative (about our body or anything else), life goes on…and it passes us by. So join me in resolving to create a year of action, starting with how you interact with your body. Together, we’re making a Love Your Body Resolution.
There are a treasure chest full of ways to start loving your body, without exclusively focusing on the tired old “diet and exercise” advice.
…trying new things that will make you feel strong, confident + pretty darn proud of yourself.
…building a new vocabulary of intentional language, gorgeous adjectives + subtle mind-shifters.
…changing the way you think about your body, and focusing on the way you interact with the world.
…dressing in a way that makes YOU feel amazing. Hint: it doesn’t matter if you love wearing Spanx and skintight dresses or you dig luxuriously soft, oversized tees, you can look fantastic every day of the week.
As we start a 12-month journey to add some extra swing in our steps, I want to hear from you. There are plenty of brave writers talking about self-love and body positivity: send in your links (or tweet them with #lybresolution), add your thoughts to the comments and let me know if you want to contribute as a guest blogger. We’ll continue with at least one LYB Resolution post per month featuring unconventional ideas about body love, desire + personal stories.
♥ Can you love your body AND want to change it? by Kourtney Thomas
Rachel and I are joining forces to host a Love Your Body link-up. So many amazing women have joined this self-loving community and added to discussions on Jaybird (LYB Resolution) and Tossing the Script (Cultivating Self-Love). Now, we want to spread the love and we’re asking you to share your experiences.
On March 31, write your own post about what makes you love your body. You can share whatever you’d like, though we have some prompts here to get those creative juices flowing:
1. Describe an experience that made you feel strong + connected to your body. Why was it so powerful?
2. What is one thing about your body that you love unconditionally or have worked to love over time?
3. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned about health, happiness and loving your body?
Visit Jaybird or Tossing the Script on 3/31 to link up and meet other bloggers who promote positivity and self-love. Use the button below by copying the code in the box and putting it into the HTML or Text editor on your site. You can also use a link back to this page to share the love!
Why We Need a Love Your Body Resolution
The idea of a resolution that centers on self-love rather than self-improvement might feel radical. After all, we’re conditioned to believe that January 1st is the time to identify what’s wrong with us and fix it. But that approach often backfires. When we start from a place of criticism, we set ourselves up for frustration, guilt, and burnout. A Love Your Body Resolution flips the script: instead of trying to mold yourself into someone else’s ideal, you begin by appreciating the body you have right now. That doesn’t mean you can’t have goals—it means your goals come from a place of respect, not rejection. Research in positive psychology shows that self-compassion, not self-criticism, is the real motivator for lasting change. So if you’ve ever felt like a failure by February, it’s not because you lack willpower; it’s because the resolution was never designed to honor you in the first place.
This shift isn’t just about feeling better—it’s about reclaiming your time and energy. Every minute spent scrutinizing your reflection or worrying about calories is a minute you could spend laughing, creating, moving, or simply being. When we resolve to love our bodies, we declare that our worth isn’t up for debate. We’re done with the endless loop of dissatisfaction. Instead, we’re choosing to spend our days living in our bodies rather than fighting them.
How the Love Your Body Resolution Works
Here’s the beautiful part: there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. The Love Your Body Resolution is a DIY project, just like self-love itself. Each month, we’ll explore a new theme—from the importance of rest to cleansing your feed of toxic messages to dressing for joy. You don’t have to do everything; you just pick what resonates and leave the rest. The goal is to build a toolbox of practices that help you reconnect with your body and celebrate what it can do.
To get started, think of this as an experiment in kindness. Pay attention to the way you talk to yourself. Notice when you’re comparing yourself to others. And when you catch yourself slipping into old habits, gently redirect. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about practice. Over time, these small shifts add up to a profound change in how you move through the world.
Unconventional Ways to Love Your Body
Forget the tired advice about diet and exercise. Loving your body can look like:
- Taking a nap because you’re tired, not because you’ve “earned” it.
- Wearing the outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks, even if it’s just to the grocery store.
- Dancing in your kitchen with zero choreography and maximum joy.
- Saying “thank you” to your legs for carrying you, your arms for hugging, your lungs for breathing.
- Unfollowing social media accounts that make you feel less-than, and following ones that celebrate all bodies.
- Trying a new activity purely for fun—not for weight loss, not for performance, just because it feels good.
These might seem small, but they’re revolutionary in a culture that teaches us to constantly hustle for self-worth. When you do things that make you feel alive, you’re sending a powerful message to yourself: “I matter.”
The Power of Community
You don’t have to walk this path alone. One of the most healing aspects of the Love Your Body Resolution is connecting with others who are doing the same work. That’s why we’re hosting regular link-ups and inviting guest bloggers to share their stories. When you read about someone else’s struggles and triumphs, you realize you’re not broken—you’re human. And that realization is the foundation of self-compassion.
“We are all just walking each other home.” — Ram Dass
So don’t be shy: share your own experiences, comment on posts, and reach out. The more we talk openly about our relationships with our bodies, the more we dismantle the shame that keeps us stuck. Whether you’re writing a blog post, tweeting with #lybresolution, or simply having a conversation with a friend, your voice matters.
What to Expect in the Months Ahead
Over the next year, we’ll dive deep into topics like a different kind of cleanse—not of your body, but of your mind and environment. We’ll explore how fashion can be a form of self-care, and we’ll talk about why sleep is a radical act of body respect. Each post will include practical takeaways and personal stories from real people. You’ll also have the chance to join the conversation through link-ups and social media challenges.
Remember: this is a journey, not a destination. Some days will be easier than others, and that’s okay. The fact that you’re here, reading this, means you’re already on your way. Welcome to the Love Your Body Resolution. Let’s make this the year we stop fighting our bodies and start celebrating them.