Three ways women can cultivate body positivity

Reflecting on body positivity with Sarah Dubbeldam

Sarah Dubbeldam is the founder and CEO of Darling Magazine. She founded her company with a commitment to reinvent the narrative around womanhood and to produce content that was both authentic and meaningful to women who were tired of being pigeonholed by mainstream media. A few years into that journey, she led the magazine to make a radical commitment to never retouch the women they photograph. In fact, Darling was the first magazine in the United States to commit to no retouching. We loved hearing Sarah reflect on both the motivation for, and the implications of that decision. Inspired by the authenticity that Darling is so deeply committed to, we’ve rounded up a list of tips to help women cultivate body positivity:

1. Listen to your body – Pay attention to those “gut-feelings” you get, and lean into them. The more you practice listening to your body and its instincts, the better your intuition will become. You’ll be able to make decisions more easily and rely on yourself instead of looking to others for validation.
2. Focus on how your body functions – Often easier said than done, for generations women have participated in a culture of complaining about and criticizing our bodies. This has been further perpetuated and reinforced by the media. Break the cycle by starting to focus on what you desire from your body, and how you want your body to function and perform. Shifting your attention from how your body looks to what your body does may help you appreciate yourself in a new way. 
3. Document your body at its best – Consider investing in a professional photographer to capture thoughtful, artistic photos of yourself. Lifestyle imagery or headshots can be a great boost to your self-confidence. Rather than obsessing over a not so flattering picture you’ve been retagged in, instead save, pin, and share photography that you feel great about.

Darling Magazine is a beautiful source of more authentic conversations around womanhood. Body image is just one of the many subjects they are tackling. Learn more at Darling.