Welcome to this week’s episode of How to Love Your Body. Today we are discussing the worry so many people are having about going back into the world as the pandemic restrictions begin to ease in many places. Firstly, don’t feel guilty if you’re feeling uneasy about getting back into the world because you’ve gained weight, because we’ve all been taught to think this way our whole lives BUT isn’t that horrible, that our society is so fatphobic that we are more worried about surviving a pandemic and being seen instead of celebrating that we made it this far?  Regardless, we know that people are worried and we want to support you to get back into the world feeling a little better than you might be feeling right now. You can download our free Post Pandemic Body Image Workbook at bit.ly/pandemicworkbook  How to Overcome Pandemic Weight Gain Negative Thoughts: #1. Acceptance and appreciation   It’s important to appreciate any coping mechanisms you had, saying thank you and moving forward . Don’t try to “fix” anything that you feel needs “fixing” – this never ends well. What you can do is bring yourself back to center and ask yourself, what can I do right now to feel good? What will feel good in my body right now? And just take that next small step. No need to do anything other than the next tiny step to do something that feels good – mentally, physically, and/or emotionally.   This is about giving yourself a break – Hello!! We have been in a pandemic for over a year now. This is something that most of us have never experienced. We thought the world was closing for 2 weeks, we would stay at home, and life would go back to normal — and here we are a year later.   We have all been in survival mode – so however you got through this past year, it’s nothing to judge. It was what got you through. Nothing is good or bad or right or wrong. It just is – and you did a wonderful job getting through some really tough times – and that’s life. It will always ebb and flow and you will do the best you can in the situation you are in. So this is your reminder to be gentle with yourself, accept reality, and appreciate the things you had to cope with to get where you are now.  #2. Put your own opinion and experience of life above others opinions.    Even though we were all in the same pandemic, we have all experienced it in our own way and have been living our own life that others truly know nothing about. You know you more than anyone, you know the person you are, you know what you have lived – no one gets to define you, no one gets to make you feel inferior because of the way your body looks (or for any other reason), no one gets to take your power with their judgments or comments.  Here are some journal prompts that you can start thinking about – they will be in your workbook so no need to write it down.    What is it that makes you feel safe at home to be in the body you have but not out in the world where people can see you? What has changed? How can you embody the feelings you’ve had at home and take them with you out into the world?   What are three things you are proud of yourself for in this past year?   If your body was how it looked at the start of the pandemic how would your life be different? Would you have a different life? Would you have eternal happiness? Would this past year have been easier? And if your answer is yes – what does this show you about your own beliefs? That looks matter more than true wellness, than the ability to survive this harrowing year, that its the most important thing?     #3. Here are some tangible things you can do as you start to enter into the world (when it’s safe/ vaccines etc).   Get clothes that fit – Allow yourself to get clothes that fit your body you have today that feel comfortable. One of the most triggering things is to have