How to start feeling Body Comfort.

Written By Angie Enger

Body stuff is hard. It’s hard for most everyone, at some point, if not many, many points in our lives. I’d argue it’s a lifelong journey if I’m being positive, and lifelong battle if I’m being cynical.

This lifelong journey has caused me to think a lot more about “body comfort” rather than “body positivity”. Sometimes “positivity” can feel impossible or burdensome. What really what I want is to feel at home in my body. To have the ease of being present and at one with existing in my skin.

So what do I mean by “body comfort”?

Comfort:

  1. a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.

  2. the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress.

All bodies are good bodies

〰️

All bodies are good bodies 〰️

A few truths I channel to seek body comfort:

  • The size, shape, color, etc of your body is morally neutral*. Therefore;

  • There is no such thing as a “bad” body.

  • All bodies change throughout your entire life. In millions of ways. And that’s pretty cool!

  • It is your first and last forever home. Your place.

  • How you feel about your body is up to you and that perception becomes your reality.

How to start now:

Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself about your body, and what the catalysts for those stories are. Approach it with curiosity - like you are an anthropologist studying someone else. Log these thoughts, without judgement, on your phone or journal.

Once you’ve become more aware, try to replace your automatic thoughts with one of the truths above.

Wondering if 1:1 Coaching can help you along your Body Comfort journey?

*Major shout out to KC Davis for introducing me to the idea of food, bodies, and care tasks being morally neutral. It truly changed my life.

Angie Enger
First things first. Angie is a triplet. She has two sisters, they are not identical, they do get along, no they can’t feel each other’s pain but they’re really good at knowing when something is wrong. Angie was always the curious one, the spirited one, the one who wanted to dye her hair pink or blue or green. Angie grew up wanting to be an archaeologist in ancient Egypt but instead got her Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota in Counseling. She moved to Portland, like all good hipsters do, got a job and a weird haircut. Despite making many beloved friends and adopting a the worlds-best cat she decided to move back where everything felt “right”: Minneapolis. The cat came too, of course. She broke her foot 9 days later. C’est La Vie. She FINALLY dyed her hair bright Ariel red. The day after she met her future husband, who liked her hair pretty well, and her eyes even better, but couldn’t see through his watering eyes around her cat. The things we do for love. Now Angie uses her empathy and relationship building skills to do social media and content strategy for Betty Crocker. Yes, she loves baking (from scratch), red lipstick and doo-wop but also Scandinavian minimalism, wearing all black and Viking metal. She lives in an oh-so-cute duplex in South Minneapolis with her terribly dapper husband. Her hair is black again, for now. She is a vegetarian by necessity, but hates tofu. Her favorite place in the world is Iceland (an introvert’s paradise) and her favorite cheese is mostly any kind baked on bread.
angieenger.com
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