Latter-day Saint Life

4 Ways to Make Peace with the Mirror

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MR says: Find out what Lexie Kite (PhD in social media and body image) has to say about how we can all find peace and beauty with what we see in the mirror.

Beauty Redefined, a non-profit organization created by identical twins Lexie and Lindsay Kite, teaches girls and women how to trade shame, jealousy and unrealistic expectations about their body for a healthy self-image that will help them achieve their goals.

In our Q&A session with Lexie, we learn how to avoid negative thinking traps.

UV: So what should we do about all of [our negative thinking and the harmful images in media]? 

Lexie: We have found there are four sources of power to breaking free from self-objectification: physical, social, mental and spiritual. Our Body Image Resilience program addresses these topics. One practical tip is to go on a media fast for three days. Studies have shown a correlation between how much time we spend on social media and body anxiety. When people go on a media fast, they start to become re-sensitized to those negative messages that once felt normal. They can learn how to unsubscribe and unfollow that mode of thinking. Meditation is another great tool. Being physically active has huge benefits, too. When women set physical goals about what their body can do, whether it is walking at lunch or running a certain number of miles, the results are positive. We want them to think about using their body as an instrument, not an ornament.

Lead image from Utah Valley 360.
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