Body image seems to be the one area that every woman struggles with, regardless of their age, social or economic background. It doesn’t come as a surprise: our media constantly bombards us with mixed messages about how to behave in relation to our bodies, what is expected, what is desirable, what seems attainable.

And yet our body image is not written in stone: as the word itself implies, body image is created and shaped in our imaginary. It bears no correlation to the real body size or shape that we have: and while this might seem as a curse, it is also the solution. By working on our beliefs and emotions, by identifying what society expects from us and separating it from what we want for ourselves, we are able to redefine our own image of our bodies.

If you would like to explore this fascinating subject on your own please check these resources:

Beauty Redefined, a wonderful movement started by the amazing twins Lindsay and Lexie, helps women of all ages to take back their own beauty. Elisa is a BR group leader and huge fan of their work. Click HERE for more information.

The woman in the mirror: how to stop confusing what you look like with who you are. Cynthia M. Bulik.

Health at every size: the surprising truth about your weight. Linda Bacon.

Mirror, mirror off the wall: how I learned to love my body by not looking at it for a year. Kjerstin Gruys.