{via etsy by Anita Waters}

People often ask researcher and author Brené Brown, Ph.D, “Where is the line between pleasure or comfort and numbing?”

This is a powerful question to consider when thinking about how we tend to our needs, process our emotions and truly soothe ourselves.

In her newest book Daring Greatly, Brené cites Jen Louden’s term “shadow comforts,” which refers to the various devices we use to numb ourselves.

Brené writes, “When we’re anxious, disconnected, vulnerable, alone and feeling helpless, the booze and food and work and endless hours online feel like comfort, but in reality they’re only casting their long shadows over our lives.”

{via etsy by Debbie}

One of the biggest reasons we turn to food for comfort is disconnection. We’re disconnected from ourselves. 

As author Julie M. Simon writes in her book The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual, “You’re cut off from your most basic signals, your emotions.” In her book Julie shares a helpful strategy for reconnecting to ourselves.

{via etsy by VickieWadeFineArt}

Stress can spark disordered eating. While the relationship between the two is complex and varies by person, many people turn to food — or away from food — in times of stress. Controlling food intake becomes a way to cope.

In other words, “many people react to stress by under- or over-eating,” according to Jamie Manwaring, PhD, a primary therapist at Eating Recovery Center’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Hospital.

When stress strikes, kids may also seek comfort in bingeing or restricting how much they eat.

Self-care has been on my mind quite a bit lately, thanks to Mara and Tamarisk’s awesome Perfectly Imperfect Project, which explores real self-care. (I’m sharing my post on Monday.)

So, today, I wanted to delve a little deeper into self-care, and the many ways we can look at nourishing ourselves.

I recently came across this incredible quote in Jen Louden’s book Comfort Secrets for Busy Women: Finding Your Way When Your Life is Overflowing: ”Self-nurturing is more than pampering. It is about becoming powerful.”

{via etsy by Susan Lussier O’Connor}

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts your week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

Last week I talked about the importance of practicing self-care, even when every fiber of your being would rather sulk in self-loathing.

Fortunately, we can always take action. It doesn’t matter what the heck our thoughts think.

{via etsy by kadie foppiano}

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts your week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

One of the best ways we can take care of ourselves is by resting. But for many of us that’s much easier said than done. Because when you finally let yourself rest, how often do the guilty, I-should-be-doing-something-else thoughts resurface?

{via etsy by bomobob}

Right now I’m taking Rachel’s excellent Ease Hunting course, where we’re focusing on finding ease, space and sanctuary in our everyday. So lately I’ve been paying more attention to how I move throughout my days and how I naturally seek and find ease.

One thing I’ve realized: Ease definitely doesn’t come naturally to me. As a highly sensitive person, I’m easily overwhelmed by my environment.

{via etsy by HoneyBoo}

A positive body image goes beyond liking your looks. It encompasses taking good care of yourself and leading a fulfilling life. In this weekly series, I share some of my favorite posts from some of my favorite bloggers on this topic. Sometimes I also share relevant pieces that I’ve written on the Web. Hope you find these links inspiring!

Body love is always available. Read this beauty from Anna aloud. Write it in your journal. And keep coming back to it. It’s that powerful.

One of the ways we can lead a fulfilling and nourishing life is by making decisions that honor us. Every day — even every hour — is another opportunity to make a decision that honors our needs, desires, intentions and well-being.

But sometimes decisions seem utterly overwhelming. And depending on the kind of mood we’re in, the stress surrounding us (and depending on how we feel about ourselves in the moment), we might forget our own boundaries and standards for self-care.

{via etsy by Amariah Rauscher}

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts the week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

You might’ve heard this saying from Brian Sutton-Smith before: “The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.”