The Embrace Podcast

There is popular quote by Myles Munroe that says - "When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable". There is an over importance that has been placed on physical appearance that we somewhat neglect the possibility that the body was made to be just a vehicle - driving our lives. Not because there's anything wrong with physical appearance, or the need to look good, but in clamoring for physical beauty, we have placed an unhealthy amount of emphasis on body (types) than is necessary. One that has led us to the point in our society where people no longer feel worthy, or deserving of anything good, because they don't match up to beauty standards. Was the body made to be just a part of us that contributes to our functionality, or was it made for so much more? Find out in this episode. Here are the things I talked about: • A review from the previous episode •Our limitation as humans in our knowledge of what we think could be best us, per time. •The first step to transforming something from a disorderly state to an orderly one is identifying its purpose. •How exposure, background and culture plays a part in programming what we now call our preferences. •The entirety of your existence is not hinged on your body type/whether or you meet up with beauty standards. You are more than your body. -> Join the interesting conversation on Spotify: Love & Self-Esteem https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HRyzrZm5FjgIcEYnnyxik"Are we objective enough or well-informed, as humans, to determine our worth?" Please, state your answer with your reasons. Let's keep the conversation going! -> For further questions and enquiries, reach out to me here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayanpella/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ayanpella Email: ayantemeetope@gmail.com Sign up to get letters from me: bit.ly/AyanpellasNewsletter Like this show? Please, leave your ratings and review, they go a long way. Thank you!

A person's body image [issues] and self-wirth are interconnected in the sense that, your understanding of your worth determines how you handle these issues. In this episode, I talked about self-worth and how your understanding of it can shape your reality. If you've ever asked yourself if your worth is at the end of a desired accomplishment, and in this context, having your dream body or the ideal body, then this episode is for you. It's an introductory episode to the brief series on self-worth that I'll be publishing across time. Here are the things I talked about in this episode: • For something as defining as your worth, it only makes sense that it is hinged on something that is fixed, and does not bend to every societal expectation(s). •Why understanding your worth is important • How to unwrap your worth from your body: °giving yourself the power, °practicing self-acceptance, -> Participate in the question poll on Spotify and win a gift, "Where/What do you think our worth is or should be hinged on?": https://open.spotify.com/show/1XCKFOdShcF2gvRywZtS0g -> For further questions and enquiries, reach out to me here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayanpella/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ayanpella Email: ayantemeetope@gmail.com Like this show? Please, leave a review, it goes a long way. Thank you!

Day in day out, people continually have to deal with rude and unsolicited comments on their bodies. It's everywhere; on the streets and on the net. In this episode, I did a sort of an interview asking people to share their body shaming experiences and how it made them feel, and the responses I got were mind-blowing. From being disqualified at an interview without given the chance to prove your ability, simply because "you're too thin, you don't look like you can handle this job" to being the subject of public humor in your school. These are the sad realities that people have to face and I published this episode to open people up to these realities. And not just stop there, make them see the effects of their "jokes", and also to discuss what possible solutions there are for the way forward. Here are the things you'd find in this episode: *00:00 Intro *03:27 Body shaming experiences from listeners *17:02 The problems and effects of body shaming *19:00 Body shaming on social media *21:45 Beauty expectations and standard *22:30 Dealing with Body Shaming: *22:40 #Step 1- Not being a part of the culture *26:65 #Step 2- Zero tolerance for body shaming *28:22 #Step 3- Dealing with insecurities *30:33 #Step 4- Understanding your worth -> Other resources mentioned in this episode: •What body shaming is not. From the "Body Shaming and Body image Issues" episode: https://anchor.fm/buildyourselfesteem/episodes/Body-Shaming--Body-Image-Issues-e1icdph -> If you'd also like to share your body shaming experiences with me, feel free to send me a message. You'll be strictly anonymous. -> For further questions and enquiries, reach out to me here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayanpella/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ayanpella Email: ayantemeetope@gmail.com -Like this show? Please, leave a review, it goes a long way. Thank you!

One of the issues that contribute to body image is body shaming; both the subtle and the pronounced ones. Body image is not independent. A lot of factors contribute to how a person chooses to see themselves through the lens of their bodies, and body shaming is one of them. People have their expectations of what the ideal body should look like and they're quick to project those expectations on people who don't seem to match them. In this episode, I shared some of the body shaming experiences I've had as a skinny girl, and how some of them contributed in my already poor self-esteem. I talk about how body shaming causes you to doubt and question yourself. If you've ever been on the receiving end of body shaming remarks, you can relate to how limiting it can be, and I'm sure you'll be able to relate to some of the things in talked about in this episode. And if you're ready to learn how to deal with it, then you're in the right place! Here are the things I talked about in this episode: • How body shaming makes you doubt and question yourself. You analyze comments so much that you begin to wonder if it's correct. • How to navigate these comments and deal with the toxicity. Understanding that these comments do not define you. • Why building a positive body image is important in navigating bad comments. Even if you don't completely love your body, building a positive body image helps you live a confident and happy life • Beauty standards are constantly changing and I talked about how this points to the fact that they're not important enough for you to hinge your self-esteem on • How to set boundaries and not accept demeaning comments and jokes about your body • Ensuring that you are not contributing to body shaming culture; to yourself and to other people • Lastly, I talked about what body shaming is not. Other resources mentioned in this episode: *Building Confidence 101: Assertiveness https://anchor.fm/buildyourselfesteem/episodes/Building-Confidence-101-Assertiveness-eo7q8s *Handling Confrontations 1 & 2 https://anchor.fm/buildyourselfesteem/episodes/Handling-Confrontations-PT1-e1464bu https://anchor.fm/buildyourselfesteem/episodes/Handling-Confrontations-PT-2-e14v710 *PIDGIN ENGLISH: A local Nigerian language. For further questions and enquiries, reach out to me here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayanpella/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ayanpella Email: ayantemeetope@gmail.com Like this show? Please, leave a review, it goes a long way. Thank you!

This is a second part to Self Esteem & Healthy Relationships, talking about self esteem as it relates to our everyday relationships. Enjoy! P.S. Thanks to Mental health counselor—Yeyetomisin, for the excerpt.