Mindful

Me
A Womans Guide to Body Confidence

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03

Contents

Mindful Me

Contents

1. Introducing

04

2. Positive Emotions Activity What Went Well

09

3. Body Awareness Activity Body Scan

13

4. Mindfulness Activity - Mindful Eating

17

5. Self-Kindness Activity - Mini-Meditations

23

6. Empowerment Activity - Power Poses

27

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05

The Dove
Self-Esteem
Project

We women feel pressure to fit the cultural stereotype of beauty.

This is impacting on our self-esteem and can hold us back.

Consider these troubling facts:

Only 4%

The Dove Self-Esteem Project was founded in 2004 to help

ensure the next generation of women grow up to be free from
misconstrued beauty stereotypes and the burden of self-doubt.
The Project delivers self-esteem education through lessons in
schools, workshops for youth groups, and digitally to parents
across a number of media channels. Our education programmes
and fun interactive activities are purposely designed to help young
people avoid or sidestep appearance-related anxieties and the
roadblocks that stop them from being confident. With the support
of parents, teachers, mentors and youth organisations, we have
reached more than 15 million young people around the world
through the Dove Self Esteem Project. And together, we can help
even more.

2005 06

10 years ago, Doves iconic Campaign for Real Beauty added

its voice to a growing movement that challenged these beauty
pressures felt by women and girls around the world. Today, girls
and boys are becoming concerned about their appearance at
younger and younger ages. We must take action together, to
build, nurture and protect the body confidence and self-esteem
of children and adults. As women we can start today forging
the way with our own actions so tomorrow we have a generation
of confident young people.

07

08

5.649

3.396

1.919

0.175

they withhold from engaging fully in important life

activities, from the classroom to the dance floor
and even the doctors.

0.793

girls being so concerned with the way they look,

09

7.717

6 out of 10

10

11

11.015

lives reached

Beauty anxiety begins at an early age with

12

13.371

15.8 million

of women worldwide consider themselves beautiful

13

15.825

Dove has a vision of a world where beauty is a source of

confidence, and not anxiety. Anxieties about appearance are
felt by women all around the world and can begin early in life.
Were on a mission to encourage all women and girls to develop
a positive relationship with the way they look so that it doesnt
prevent them reaching their full potential. It is when we feel we are
the best version of ourselves, inside and out, we feel happiest.

8.863

Were on 
a Mission

14

The Mindful Me: A Womans Guide to Body Confidence,

developed with psychologists, experts and pioneers in body
image and womens development, helps women develop body
acceptance and self-compassion using mindfulness. This guide
contains a series of activities with step by step instructions, and
also offers guidance on handling some of the difficult feelings
that may sometimes emerge.
We hope you take part, speak up and step forward, confident in
being the fullest version of yourself.
For more information and support visit
selfesteem.dove.com

Introducing

Introducing

06

Getting
Started

07

Before you begin reading this guide, take some time to sit quietly and
reflect on the present moment.

Instructions

This is what it means to be mindful. It is a state of being aware. It

means noticing your thoughts and feelings without judging yourself.
It means being curious about yourself, your surroundings and your
responses.
This guide is intended to help you become more mindful and
interested in the thoughts, feelings and the pressures you may
be experiencing about your body, your looks and your energy.
Throughout our lives, its normal to experience changes in our
thoughts and feelings as well as our self-esteem.
Self-esteem is having confidence in yourself, your worth and your
abilities. It doesnt mean that you or anyone else can be perfect. It
doesnt exclude making mistakes. Self-esteem means having a good
measure of self-acceptance so that you can reflect on your behaviours
and what you do.

Set aside time for yourself to complete these activities. Youll need
up to 1 hours for the six of them, each will take 10-15 minutes.
You may want to start out by trying one or two activities a day for
the first week if you are short on time.

Choose a time and place where you wont be disturbed. These

activities are intended to promote confidence, self-awareness and
reflection, as well as being interesting and fun.

Each activity includes an introduction, instructions and an exercise

for you to do.

Mindfulness is a practice of lifelong learning. This guide can

help you start your journey toward mindfulness or continue
from where youre at right now. The activities in this guide book
are specifically designed for women.

Body confidence is the way we think and feel about the way we look
and how we behave as a result. It isnt any kind of objective measure
but rather our own capacity to be accepting towards our physical
selves. Finding ease in our bodies and giving up damaging judgments
allows us to find more clarity, resilience and confidence, at any stage
of life, in body, mind and spirit.

Under

18
years

Being mindful helps us experience feelings, emotions, sensations,

thoughts and events in a non-judgemental and accepting way.
Mindfulness can help you focus on the gifts you have your qualities,
talents, traits, and the quirks that make you unique and appreciate
your role as a participant and contributor among family, friends,
community, and the wider world.

Introducing

Introducing

If you are younger than 18, please see our Mindful Me activity
guide that has been especially designed for girls.

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Activity 1

Positive Emotions:
What Went Well?
About This Activity

It is common for women to have developed beliefs about their

bodies that are unkind and critical. Women are often concerned
with the way they look and spend time comparing themselves to
others and images they see in the media. This can leave women
with negative emotions that can be hard to shake. Helping a woman
better harness her positive emotions can help her develop an
appreciation of her body and appearance.
Each of us experiences a rich diversity of emotions. Over the course
of a day, we may feel delighted, anxious, annoyed, ashamed,
proud, embarrassed, hopeful, sad, anxious, relieved or awestruck.
Research suggests that such emotional diversity is good for us.
But there is one catch. If we find ourselves dwelling on worries
and insecurities and failing to notice and savour all of the positives
in our selves and in our lives, we can get stuck in something
neuroscientists call a negativity bias. This negativity bias can add
to chronic-stress, anxiety and depression. Research shows that
increasing positive emotions helps to short-circuit stress and
improves both our emotional and physical health.
With this activity, we want to nurture positive experiences by
encouraging women to identify precious moments or valuable things
about themselves and their lives. Negative emotions should not be
ignored but they should not become your full focus.

Instructions

What went well?

What went well?

Youll need: For this exercise you may keep a journal, jot
down notes on your computer, or do this with your family
or friends over dinner as a conversation in which all of
you can participate. This way you will lock in your positive
experiences rather than letting them slip away.

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What went well?

Exercise

Think about three things that went well over the course of the day. If
you are doing this in the morning, think back to the previous day. The
three good things can be small or large, a beautiful smile that you want
to remember, or a big life event. Then add a sentence to acknowledge
why this went well.

What went well with my body today?

1.

THIS IS WHY:

What went well today and why?

1.

2.
THIS IS WHY:

3.

THIS IS WHY:

2.

THIS IS WHY:

THIS IS WHY:

3.

Post Activity
Reflexion

THIS IS WHY:

Now think specifically about how your body helped you today. What
went well with it? For example, you may have enjoyed how your muscles felt when running, appreciated the way the curl in your hair looked,
or delighted in how rested you felt after a hot bath or a good nights
sleep.Why were you able to enjoy your body and feel comfortable in
your own skin today?

What went well?

What went well?

How did this activity make you feel? Do you feel you can recognise
that even when you find yourself in a low place, there are still
qualities you can feel good about?

Take a moment to consider all that you are grateful for. Gratitude
is a powerful antidote to feelings that may arise when you compare
yourself to other people and feel like you dont have enough or arent
good enough. Consider your situation from a different perspective
and consider the good in your life and the people who have helped
you along the way.

Get used to doing this regularly. You will find it makes a difference.
You might try referring to this exercise in real life situations to hold on
to strengths when you are feeling down.

Go to selfesteem.dove.com for more information and tips to help

build body confidence and self-esteem.

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Activity 2

Body Awareness
The way a woman thinks she looks is often one of the strongest
sources of self-criticism and self-doubt. Negative beliefs can also
contribute to feeling disconnected from ones body or feeling in a
constant state of tension.

About This Activity

By developing body awareness, you can also cultivate a deep

appreciation for your body. Our bodies are amazing. No matter
what their size, shape, colour or physical ability, they are a powerful
part of who we are that allow us to do and achieve things every day.
Everyone has a body that is unique, different to all others. Taking
care of ones body in small ways, including allowing time for the
body to relax, to calm the nervous system, and to visualize healing,
also helps us appreciate just how much a little nurturing can go a
long way.
In fact, when we connect to our bodies we begin to tune into our
unique body language. Think about common expressions: tingling
in my scalp, chill up my spine, gives me goose bumps, and pain in
the neck. These sayings reflect a mind-body connection and give us
important information about our experiences and needs. The more
you can nurture a relationship with your body, and the more aware
you become of choices you have in self-care, the greater the chance
that you will develop a new sense of body confidence.

This activity will take approximately

10 minutes

Instructions

Youll need: a quiet place to sit or

lie down

Post Activity 
Reflexion

Body Awareness

Body Awareness

How did you feel before starting this activity?

Was it hard to relax into your body?

Did you find it hard to sit still? How did you feel after the body scan?

Did you notice any change in how you felt about yourself?

Go to selfesteem.dove.com for more information and tips to

help build body confidence and self-esteem.

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Body Awareness
Exercise

This activity encourages us to tune in through a body scan exercise.

Some women can find it difficult to articulate what they appreciate
about their body. Start with some simple ideas: Our hands let us hold
another, our legs let us walk and run, our smiles show our pleasure,
You can make your own mental list of the amazing things bodies can
do and then allow yourself to connect to your own body though the
following script or the audio version of this guided body scan.
A body scan can help you learn to appreciate both the physical abilities of your body and the emotional signals it gives out. It also allows
your mind a rest from the constant inner chatter, which can sometimes
be unkind.
Follow your breathing. It will enable you to connect to your body and
to relax and feel more comfortable in your skin.

1.

5. 

6.

Now

the white light hovers over the left shoulder and down your
left arm and to the ends of each of your fingertips.
Let all the tension ooze out.

7. 

N
 ow imagine the white light spreading warmth from the center
of your chest around your heart space As you breathe begin
to notice your chest relaxing, as if a weight is lifting.

8.

N
 ow notice the warmth spreading down to your belly, an area that
often deserves some love and attention. Take your time breathing
in and breathing out, allowing all tension to slip away.

9.

Imagine the warm white light moving down to your hips...

First gently moving down the right side from the top of the hip
down the right leg... to the knee to the ankle... down to the
tips of your toes and out.

10.

T
 he wand now hovers over the left side, and notice the warm healing
light releasing tension from the left hip down the left leg to the
knee to the ankle and down to the tips of your left toes and out.
Notice the loosening in your body from head to toe.

11.

 eally take in what it feels like to fully relax... and feel the support
R
under your body. Know that you have the ability at any moment
through the simple awareness of your breath to be kind to your body,
to release tension, and to appreciate the support it brings you...
even in moments when you may feel otherwise.

Lie down or sit in a chair with your back supported.Rest your

hands on your lap or by your sides. Close your eyes, or if you like,
softly look at a spot a few feet in front of you.

2.  D raw your attention to the natural rhythm of your breathing.

Breathe in, breathe out. Begin to notice where in your body you sense
a rise and fall ... perhaps in your belly, your chest, or your shoulders.

3.  A s you become aware of your breath simply tune in to the sensations

in your body. Breathe in, breathe out. Gently scan your body from
head to toe and notice any areas where you might feel tightness.

4.  N ow imagine a magic wand floating above your body exuding

a warm, white light. Beginning from the top of your head, this wand
releases any tension around your foreheadyour temples...
your jaw, your mouth.

Body Awareness

A
 s you breathe notice the tightness relaxing. Imagine the white
light begins to move over your neck and your shoulders
sending warmth and relaxation down your right arm and to
the ends of each of your fingers tips.

12. When you are ready, open your eyes begin to focus on your
surroundings. Gently begin to move. May go forward with
lightness and ease.

Body Awareness

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Activity 3

Mindful Eating
Being mindful of what you are feeding your body when it is hungry
and making healthy choices is empowering. It is truly an act of
self-care. Not only that, as you pay attention to every mouthful
savouring each bite you can enjoy every meal, too. You can feel
good knowing you are nourishing your body in the best possible way.

About This Activity

Today, many of us have become accustomed to mindless eating.

Its becoming common to eat quick and convenient food on the
go, in front of the TV or the computer. It can mean we often dont
notice, appreciate or really sense what were eating or why. We can
confuse eating with other hungers.
Eating mindfully means being aware of physical sensations of food
and the physical sensations in your body. Savouring is the notion of
taking in all the senses of what one is eating flavour, texture, and
aroma. It means youre aware of when food is pleasurable or not,
satisfying or not, and when youve had enough to eat.
By identifying how you experience hunger and satisfaction yourself,
both physically and emotionally, you will start to develop a lifelong
positive relationship with food. The following two simple activities lay
a foundation for mindful eating.

This activity will take approximately

10 minutes

Activity one:

Savouring the
sensations of food

Youll need: The first time you do this, use a raisin or

dried cranberry (note if you do not like raisins you can
use another small piece of fruit or a nut). You can try this
activity each day with a small food item that you want to
savour. Savouring can be practiced with any snack or
meal at any time during the day.

Instructions

Post Activity 
Reflexion

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating

What did you notice about eating mindfully and paying attention
to every mouthful and sensation?

What did you notice about the food the taste, texture, favour, aroma?

Did you enjoy eating more when you were conscious of every
sensation? What differences, if any, did you notice?

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Mindful Eating

Activity One:
Savouring the sensations of food

1.


Select
a raisin and feel the weight of it. What
does it feel like in your hand? What does it look
like? What is its shape, size, colour, texture?

2.  Think about where this raisin came from. What

Look

Smell

Sound

Texture

Taste

Other

journey has it been on from being a seed on a

farm?

3.  Bring the raisin up to your nose and smell it,

inhale deeply. What does it smell like? What
does its smell remind you of?

4.  Now taste it and notice how it feels in your

mouth. Is it sweet or sour? Smooth or rough?

Soft or hard? What do you notice when you
bite into it? How does it feel when you chew
and swallow it?
Next time you eat a meal or a snack, try this exercise
again. Really experience the food and make a mental
note of the sensations of the food as well as how it
makes you feel.

Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating

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Time of Day:

Mindful Eating

Activity Two:
Food, Mood and Mindset:
Satisfying the sensation of hunger

Where was I? What environment was I in?

Was I alone or with others?

1.

What did I eat? How did I choose what I ate?

What were my thoughts?

Introduction

Think about your meal and

snack times over the last
two days. Select one of
thesetimes that you feel
you ate well in response to
your physical and emotional
needs. Reflect on the context
of this occasion in the space
on the left.

What was my mood?

Sometimes you will find you are drawn to eating when you know
you arent physically hungry but feel moody or emotionally upset.
Its easy to reach for food for comfort. Perhaps you are sad, or angry
or confused or even happy and food beckons you for solace or
reward. This emotionally-driven eating can be confusing.

How did I feel after I ate?

Why did I feel this way?

Being mindful means getting some distance from the jumbled thoughts
or feelings and our inner chatter. It means recognising when we
associate food with mood. As we pause to recognise the urge for
emotional-eating, it gives us a chance to be compassionate towards
ourselves. A shift in mindset can help you to consider what may be
the best self-care choice in the moment. When you reach for
comfort food, you can ask yourself: Whats the kindest thing I can
do for myself right now? Is it reaching for food or is it reaching for
support? Is it sitting with my feelings or taking a walk?
Here is a simple way to begin to connect the dots between your
eating habits and feelings. Notice the difference between real hunger
and emotional eating. Become aware of your body sensations.
This means noticing when you are hungry and distinguishing this
physical sensation from emotional hunger. Take a deep breath and
consider your choices in the present moment.

Post Activity
Reflexion

Think about your normal eating routines, are they rushed and mindless
or deliberate and thoughtful?

What did you notice when you felt hungry or the urge to eat?

What connections were you able to make between your eating habits,
thoughts and feelings?

Time of Day:

2.

Where was I? What environment was I in?

Now select a second

example of a meal or snack
time where you felt less in
tune with your body. For
instance, a time where you
feel you could have better
responded to your physical
or emotional needs.
Reflect on the context of
this occasion in the space
on the right.

Was I alone or with others?

What did I eat? How did I choose what I ate?
What were my thoughts?
What was my mood?
What prompted me to stop eating?
How did I feel after I ate?
Why did I feel this way?

Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating

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Activity 4

Mini-Meditations
About This Activity

Practicing acts of kindness to yourself and others is a way to

overcome feelings of self-doubt and build our defences against
societal pressures to be "perfect". It can also help overcome the
tendency to withdraw from doing things because we dont feel
good about the way we look, question how we measure up, and
manage self-defeating thoughts and beliefs.
Learning self-kindness can help us to avoid criticising ourselves at
times when we feel inadequate or feel judged by others. Practicing
self-kindness can help us to recognise our negative inner critic, to
recognise that its not possible to be perfect all the time and that
failing or making mistakes is normal. When we accept this reality,
we experience less stress and emotional anguish. One way to
cultivate self-compassion is to simply ask yourself: What would
I suggest to a friend in a similar situation? Or, How can I treat
myself with the same tenderness I might show a loved one in need?
Self-kindness also helps us relate our own personal experience
of feeling emotional highs and lows to those of others, and to
recognise that were not alone. This also helps build empathy and
develop strong personal relationships.
Another way to be kind and gentle with yourself is to check in with
your body. Your body is an exquisite emotional radar system. When
we talk about a gut feeling it is because we have an intuition or
hunch that we feel in our bellies. When we feel something in our
heart, we know it has to do with emotions of excitement, love,
happiness or sadness. These are also physical releases to emotions,
such as blushing or sweating when we feel embarrassed. Knowing
your bodys unique reactions to stress or upset can help you figure
out how to respond to these feelings in future. For instance, you
may need to take some deep breaths, take a walk, call a friend for
support, or get some rest. Listen to your body!

Instructions

This activity will take approximately

5 minutes for each mini-meditation
Youll need: a quiet place to sit or lie down

Mini-Meditation

Mini Meditation

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Mini-Meditations
Instructions

6.

As you feel your hands on your heart, imagine that you're

holding a favourite pet or a sleeping baby. Be open to the tender
feelings that may arise. Notice if the tension in your body begins
to lessen, or any unkind or nagging thoughts start to disappear.

1.

Find

a comfortable position. You may be sitting in a
chair or lying on your back. Let your eyes close gently or focus
on a spot in front of you. Let your breathing happen naturally.

7.

As you experience these warm and tender feelings,

you may tell yourself these words:
I am worthy.
I am unique and I am enough just the way I am.
May I be kind to myself, May I be kind to others, May I feel at peace.

2.

Slowly

begin to pay attention to your breathing.
Notice the rhythm of your inhale as you breathe in and the
exhale as you breathe out. Begin to slow it down a bit.
As you breathe in you can count slowly:
1 2 3 4. As you breathe out count down,
4 3 21. Do this for a few breaths.

3.

If you find your mind wandering or focusing on

worries, fears or nagging thoughts, that's okay, this
happens to everyone. Simply bring your attention back
to your breath and notice the gentle movement of the
rise and fall of your chest.

8.

Whenever you notice your mind wandering come back to these

loving and kind sayings. When you feel that your life is getting too full of
pressure or too complicated, know that you can always return to your
breathing and place your hands on your heart. Tell yourself everything will
be okay. It's a way to show yourself compassion.

9.

Take a few breaths in and out at your own pace,

and when youre ready you can gently open your eyes
and begin to pay attention to the world around you.

4.

Begin to notice any physical sensations or areas of tension that you might be feeling in your body.... perhaps in your jaw,
your neck or your belly. Simply focus your attention on those
areas of tension as you breathe in and breathe out, slowly feeling
the relief that your breath offers.

Post Activity 
Reflexion

5.

Now gently place your right hand over your heart;

take your left hand and place it over your right hand.
Mini-Meditations

Mini-Meditations

Think about why its important to be able to let go of negative

feelings towards yourself. How did you feel when you showed
yourself self-kindness?

Was it difficult or easy to be genuinely kind to yourself?

How did it feel to tune in your body, focus attention to your heart
and your belly?

How did you feel after taking a few minutes to relax and visualize?

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Activity 5

Power Poses
Research shows that our posture and the way we hold our bodies
impacts how confident we feel and how anxious we can become.
Standing strong and looking confident and powerful even when
we dont feel like it on the inside - can stimulate the release of
confidence-producing hormones and can lower anxiety. It also
sends a message to others that youre feeling open and selfassured. You can practice a pose of strength in a private space
before a challenging situation, like delivering a presentation at work,
demonstrating a project or speaking up.

About This Activity

This activity helps you connect your body language with your
thoughts and feelings to help you be the best version of you, today.

This activity will take approximately

15 minutes

Instructions

Youll need: a quiet place

Post Activity 
Reflexion

Power Poses

Power Poses

To feel the difference, try demonstrating typical body language you

would display if you were feeling anxious, sad, insecure (e.g. slumped
shoulders, making your body small by folding your arms and legs like
a pretzel).

How did you feel once you practiced a powerful pose in response to
the same feelings?

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29

Power Poses
Activity One

3 Now position your body in that same confident way and hold it for
two minutes. Imagine yourself in a social or work situation feeling
calm, confident and in control

Instructions

1 The way we hold and position our bodies can impact the way we

feel on the inside. Sometimes, even when we dont feel great on

the inside, we can make ourselves feel stronger and more able to
succeed if we make ourselves look more confident on the outside.
Think about how you are feeling within yourself right now.
Make a note of these feelings.

4 After two minutes in this pose, write down what you noticed about
your feelings. Did you notice a change in how you felt before and
after this exercise?

2 Visualise yourself at a time when you

have felt most confident. How are
you standing? How are you holding
your head? And your arms? Imagine
how you would stand at work, at a
party, if you did feel confident.

Power Poses

Power Poses

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Power Poses
Activity Two

2 Choose one of the strong, confident poses and strike that pose,

holding it for two minutes. You may feel a bit self-conscious but
really go for it! The more you really commit to the pose, the more
you will feel the difference.

Instructions

1 Take a look at the poses illustrated below.

3 After two minutes in this pose, write down what you noticed

Example poses of people with strong confidence?

about your feelings. Did you notice a change in how you felt
before and after this exercise?

Example poses of people with less confidence?

Next time youre in a situation where you need

to feel confident, try striking one of these poses

for a couple of minutes in private beforehand.
It might help give you the boost you need!

Power Poses

Power Poses

32

About the
authors

33

Dr Nancy Etcoff is an Assistant Clinical Professor at

Harvard Medical School,and a research psychologist at the
Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry
in the US, where she directs the Program in Aesthetics and
Well Being. Etcoff has conducted research on the perception
of beauty and emotion for more than 20 years and lectures
on the science of happiness at Harvard and at international
forums such as TED She has previously worked with Dove
consulting on the creation of its Campaign for Real Beauty as
well as advising on the Dove Self-Esteem Project since its
inception in 2004.
Dr Etcoff is the author of Survival of the Prettiest: The Science
of Beauty, which was the subject of a one-hour Discovery
Channel programme.

Mindful Me

A mindfulness activity guide for mentors of girls

The aim of Mindful Me is to help girls become more mindful and
curious about their thoughts, feelings and the pressures they may
experience about their body, their looks and growing up. The
Mindful Me activity guide, developed with psychologists, experts
and pioneers in body image and girl development, helps girls build
body confidence and self-esteem. The activities included focus
on body awareness, mindfulness, self-kindness, empowerment,
and positive emotions. This guide contains instructions on how to
progress through each activity, and also gives advice on some of
the conversations that may follow.
Visit selfesteem.dove.com to download a copy.

Confident Me
Dr Tara Cousineau is a clinical psychologist and nationally
recognized women's self-esteem expert, serving as one of
12 global ambassadors for the Dove Self Esteem Project.
She is also certified in the Daring Way Method, based on
the research by Dr. Brene Brown. As a social entrepreneur,
she has received funding from the National Institutes of Health
in the US to develop a mobile wellness platform. The upcoming
BodiMojo app (www.BodiMojo.com) delivers bite-sized tips
and skills on mindfulness, self compassion and self-care for
children and adolescents suffering with a physical or emotional
health condition. She is a contributing expert to Doves Self
Esteem Project, HuffPost Parents and SavvyAuntie.com.
Dr. Tara lives in Boston, Massachusetts with her two teenage
daughters.

More from
the Dove
Self-Esteem
Project

About the author

selfesteem.dove.com

Body confidence workshops for schools

This series of workshops have been designed to help students
all around the world learn ways to challenge and resist appearance
pressures effectively, to develop body confidence. Student learning
is facilitated through class discussion and small group activities,
with the addition of video stimuli and activity worksheets. There
are two different formats available for teachers to download: a fivepart workshop series which addresses challenging unrealistic
sociocultural ideals of appearance, media literacy with respect to
these ideals, reducing appearance comparisons and appearance
conversations and encouraging body activism and positive
behaviour change; and a single session workshop which addresses
some of the most important themes from the five-part series In
contrast to programs that simply raise awareness of body image
issues, research has shown that students who participate in
Confident Me have improved body image, greater body appreciation,
higher self-esteem and feel more confident to participate in social
and academic activities.
Visit selfesteem.dove.com to learn more.

An online support hub for parents

Everything on selfesteem.dove.com is designed to help girls
overcome beauty-related anxieties that stop them from being
happy and confident. The articles and activities on the site are
grounded in research and the insights of real parents, and written
by expert psychologists and popular commentators on girls
body confidence and self-esteem. Recent research has shown
that by reading the articles on the site, mothers are better
equipped to help their daughters build higher self-esteem.
Visit selfesteem.dove.com and read more.

free-being-me.com

Body confidence activity guides for groups

Free Being Me encourages girls and young women to celebrate
their individuality and to challenge the myth of the perfect
appearance created by society. It has been created in partnership
with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and is
available for two age groups: one for groups of 7-10 year olds
and one for groups of 11-14 year olds.
Visit free-being-me.com for more information and to download
the activity kits.

More from the Dove Self-Esteem Project

34

Making the
Connection:
Mindfulness,
Body
Confidence &
Self-Esteem
Summary

35

and others. Several studies show a link between the benefits of

mindfulness on self-esteem (Pepping, C.A., ODonovan, & Davis,
2014; Pepping et al, 2015). There are numerous books, CDs, and
apps that teach women how to engage in mindfulness practices,
suggesting that mindfulness has found its way into mainstream
culture.

Tara Cousineau, PhD and Nancy Etcoff, PhD

DSEP Global Advisory Board
March 2015

Mindfulness in Women: A robust literature

The Dove Self Esteem Project is offering a new set of tools to
increase body confidence in women. These simple and effective
tools teach women how to be mindful, aware and present in
their bodies. As such, various skills are presented in the Mindful
Me Guide for Women that show women how to cultivate
compassion and kindness toward themselves and others, how
to quick-start feelings of empowerment through simple poses
and imaginative exercises, and how to be mindful though simple
means such as meditations, savoring positive emotions and
mindful eating. Importantly, these skills may help women foster a
sense of self-esteem and body confidence, and better understand
the mind-body connection.

Self-Compassion, Mindfulness and Body Image:

An emerging area of study
The scientific literature is just emerging on the benefit of mindfulness
and self-compassion on body image, weight concerns and eating
disorders. The study of self-compassion and body image suggests
new prevention and intervention programs that build upon the
previous, robust self-esteem literature. Specifically, self-compassion
focuses less on self-evaluation and external validation and more on
internal awareness and acceptance. The majority of the emerging
work on self-compassion, mindfulness and body image has
been done with college students and adult women. The literature
below serves as a starting point for considering new interventions,
resources, and empowerment programs that may be created
and adapted for girls.

The field of positive psychology has been at the center of the

next chapter or new wave of techniques, including mindfulness
and self-compassion. Prevention programs and interventions
are being tested and many have been found to be effective
in a number of settings: medical and mind-body centers, in
psychotherapy for depression and anxiety (Piet & Hougaard 2011),
and in a wide range of eating disorder prevention and intervention
studies (Katterman, et al, 2014; O Reilly, et al., 2014; Olson &
Emery, 2014). Our list of key references represents some of this
work and supports Doves continued goal to ground their tools in
evidence-based research.

To highlight 4 recent findings from our reading list:

W
 ebb & Forman (2013) found that greater self-compassion was
related to less binge eating severity.
W
 asylkiw, MacKinnon & MacLellan (2012) showed that high
self-compassion predicted fewer body concerns independent
of level of self-esteem. High scores on self-compassion also
predicted less eating guilt independent of self-esteem.

Mindfulness has been defined as the awareness that emerges

through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment,
and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment
by-moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). A growing literature has
highlighted the cognitive and emotional benefits of mindfulness,
including increased attention and emotional regulation through
the neurological changes associated with regular mindfulness
practice (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Meta-analyses of mindfulness
interventions have shown robust effects in reducing stress in
individuals with a range of concerns (Chiesa A, Serretti, 2009;
Grossman , Niemann , Schmidt & Walach, 2004). In many studies
over the past decade mindfulness-based techniques have been
shown to be effective in increasing self-confidence and resilience
and in lessening self-criticism, social comparison and avoidance
of emotions and experiences. Kabat-Zin (2003) developed the
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which
is now used all over the world. MBSR includes a number of
techniques such as body scan, meditation, mindful eating, yoga,

Appendix

A
 tkinson & Wade (2014) demonstrated the short-term efficacy of
a mindfulness-based approach in reducing the risk of disordered
eating. Mindfulness participants showed significant improvements
relative to the women in the control group for weight and shape
concern, dietary restraint, thin ideal internalization, eating disorder
symptoms and related psychosocial impairment.
A
 lbertson, Neff & Dill-Shacklford (2014) demonstrated in a
randomized-controlled trial that women who listened to selfcompassion audio meditations experienced significantly greater
reductions in body dissatisfaction, body shame, and contingent
self-worth based on appearance, as well as improvements in
self-compassion and body appreciation compared to a control
group. All improvements were maintained 3 months later.
These studies are important in building an evidence-base for future
controlled and longitudinal studies.

Appendix

36

37

A powerful synthesis

Select References:

Our tools synthesize a mindfulness-based approach with powerful

insights and evidence-based tools from positive psychology
(What Went Well), psychoanalytic based work on emotional
hunger (Food, Mood, and Mindset) and social psychology
(Power Poses).

Albertson, E. R., Neff, K. D., & Dill-Shackleford, K. E. (2014). SelfCompassion and Body Dissatisfaction in Women: A Randomized
Controlled Trial of a Brief Meditation Intervention. Mindfulness, 1-11.
Atkinson, M.J., & Wade, T.D. (2014). Does mindfulness have
potential in eating disorders prevention? A preliminary controlled
trial with young adult women. Early Intervention in Psychiatry.
doi:10.1111/eip.12160

To highlight a few key works:

In a randomized, controlled study Seligman et al (2005)
demonstrated that people who practiced the What Went Well
exercise daily reported greater happiness and less depression
one month later, and showed further improvements in mood
three months and six months later

Carney, Dana R., Amy J.C. Cuddy, and Andy J. Yap. (2010) "Power
Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and
Risk Tolerance." Psychological Science 21, no. 10: 13631368.

Orbachs (2002) psychoanalytically based tools show women

how to distinguish between true hunger and emotion based
eating, and allow them to disengage from unsuccessful dieting
and food denial. For decades, Orbach has taught women how
to eat pleasurably based on an awareness of the body signals
of true hunger and fullness.

Chiesa A, Serretti A. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress

management in healthy people: a review and meta-analysis.
The journal of alternative and complementary medicine 2009;
15:593-600.
Cuddy, Amy, Caroline A. Wilmuth, Andy J. Yap, and Dana R.
Carney. (in press) Preparatory Power Posing Affects Nonverbal
Presence and Job Interview Outcomes." Journal of Applied
Psychology

C
 arney et al (2010) and Cuddy et al (in press) demonstrate
that by simply becoming aware of our body language and
consciously shifting the signs we give ourselves and others
of our confidence, competence and power, we can change
our cortisol levels (stress hormones) and testosterone in two
minutes, and even improve performance on a job interview

Dehghani, F., Amiri, S., Molavi, H., & Neshat-Doost, H.T. (2014).
Effectiveness of mindfulness based cognitive therapy on female
elementary students with generalized anxiety disorder. International
Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Research, 3(3), 59-165.

In summary, mindfulness-based strategies and compassionfocused intervention combined with strategies from positive
psychology and embodiment theories may provide useful and
efficient means to help women and girls manage anxieties
around beauty and body image.

Grossman P, Niemann L, Schmidt S, Walach H. Mindfulness-based

stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of
psychosomatic research 2004;57:35-43.
Greco, L.A. , Barnett, E.R., Blomquist, K.K. & Gevers, A. (2008).
Acceptance, body image and health in adolescence. In L. A. Greco
& S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Acceptance and mindfulness treatments for
children and adolescents, Oakland, CA: New Harbinger (pp. 187
-214).
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context:
Past, present, and future. ClinicalPsychology: Science and Practice,
10(2), 144156. doi:10.1093/clipsy/bpg016
Katterman, S. N., Kleinman, B. M., Hood, M. M., Nackers, L. M.,
& Corsica, J. (2014). Mindfulness meditation as an intervention
for binge eating, emotional eating, and weight loss: A systematic
review. Eating Behaviors, 15(2),197-204.

Appendix

Appendix

38

39

Mantzios, M.,Wilson,J.C.(2015).Mindfulness, Eating behaviours, and

obesity: A review and
Reflection on current findings, Current Obesity Reports.[link]

Wasylkiw, L., MacKinnon, A.L., & MacLellan, A.M. (2012). Exploring

the link between self-compassion and body image in university
women. Body Image, 9(2), 236245.

Marchand WR. Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation:

Evidence from neuroimaging studies. World Journal of Radiology
2014;6:471.

Webb, J.B.. & Forman, M.J. (2013). Evaluating the indirect effect of
self-compassion on binge eating severity through cognitiveaffective
self-regulatory pathways. Eating Behaviors, 14(2), 224-228.

Orbach, S. (2002) On eating. London: Penguin Books.

Other Resource:
OReilly, G. A., Cook, L., Spruijt-Metz, D., & Black, D. S. (2014).
Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating
behaviours: A literature review. Obesity Reviews, 15(6), 453-461.
Olson, K. L., & Emery, C. F. (2014). Mindfulness and weight loss: A
systematic review. Psychosomatic Medicine. in press.

American Mindfulness Research Association

info@goAMRA.org
https://goamra.org/resources/find-program/

Piet, J. Hougaard, E. (2011). The effect of mindfulness-based

cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major
depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical Psychology Review, 3(6), 10321040.
Pepping, C.A,., ODonovan A, b, Zimmer-Gembeck, M.J., Hanisch,
M. (2015) Individual differences in attachment and eating pathology:
The mediating role of mindfulness, Personality and Individual
Differences, Volume 75, 2429
Pepping, C.A., ODonovan, A., & Davis, P. J. (2014). The positive
effects of mindfulness on self-esteem. The Journal of Positive
Psychology, 8(5) 376-386.
Neff, K. D. & McGeehee, P. (2010). Self-compassion and
psychological resilience among adolescents and young adults. Self
and Identity, 9, 225-240.
Neff, K. D. & Vonk, R. (2009). Self-compassion versus global
self-esteem: Two different ways of relating to oneself. Journal of
Personality, 77, 23-50. http://self-compassion.org/UTserver/pubs/
NeffVonk.pdf
Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005).
Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions.
American Psychologist, 60, 410- 421.
Smeets, E., Neff, K., Alberts, H., & Peters, M. (2014). Meeting
Suffering With Kindness: Effects of a Brief SelfCompassion
Intervention for Female College Students. Journal of clinical
psychology. http://self-compassion.org/UTserver/pubs/
Smeets3week.pdf

Appendix

Appendix

self-esteem
project

selfesteem.dove.com