College is a challenging time in a person’s life, and, although it’s one of the greatest, it’s one that includes a constant struggle to figure out who you are and how you feel about yourself.

Stress, overeating and neglecting personal health can all happen easily when students are consumed with school work that keeps them up late at night and wakes them up early in the morning.

Acknowledging these struggles and focusing on correcting them is very important, but the mental side of being body positive is just as important, if not more important, than the physical side.

Positivity is a state of mind, and even though adding the word “body” to the front of it makes it seem more like it’s a physical goal, this is not necessarily the case. Being body positive means more than being fit and feeling good about your physical shape. It means loving the person who lives within that body and loving the shape you take, no matter what size it is.

“Body positivity” is a term that has been referenced fairly frequently in 2015 and one that will surely be used in the future. Getting to the point of self-acceptance is easier said than done. 

The body you’re born in is the only one you get. It shouldn’t be something you constantly shame or bring down; it should be something to pride yourself on. Even if it’s not exactly what you think it should look like or what society says it should look like, that doesn’t mean it is worth any less. Your body is unique to you, and there will never be another one just like it. Just as you consider your mind and personality unique qualities, consider your body one as well.

Your body does so much for you. It always works its hardest to keep you sane and healthy. Whether it looks the way you want it to, it deserves all of the love and respect in the world because of the work it does for you. Treat it well, no matter what.

Loving your body will, in return, help you love all of the other things about yourself. Young adults struggle greatly with physical appearance, and dealing with this can negatively affect your mental health. When you accept your body and love it for what it is, the mental aspects of being upset about it will no longer plague you, and you will be an all-around healthier and happier person.

These things are definitely easier said than done, and getting to a place of self-satisfaction is difficult, but getting there will bring so much joy and confidence to your life. Your mind and body work hand in hand, and loving yourself physically as much as you love yourself mentally is what truly defines body positivity.