According to Sharon Gill, Body Image is "a multidimensional construct of the self, consisting of how individuals think, feel and behave regarding their own physical attributes. It comprises the various cognitions an individual has about his/her body, as well as the behaviours he/she engages in as a means of maintaining and enhancing physical appearance" Below is the Thesis I wrote for my Bachelors Degree accompanied by its Wordle(the bigger the word the more it's used.) This was a difficult endeavor. Due not only to a particularly heavy studio workload but also the challenge of writing a body of work such as this and how the breadth of research and its subsequent writing has challenged the prism through which I view myself, the world and my place in it. I wrote most of it while I should have been doing studio work or sleeping. It is one of the pieces I left my degree with that I'm most proud of.
Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work.
She has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage,
authenticity, and shame. She spent the first five years of her
decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that
work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness. She poses the
questions:
How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and
imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of
authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage,
compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough
– that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?
The Power of Vulnerability
"Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize,
belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a
deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to
know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share."
Listening to Shame
"Shame is an unspoken epidemic, the secret behind many forms of broken
behavior. Brené Brown, whose earlier talk on vulnerability became a
viral hit, explores what can happen when people confront their shame
head-on. Her own humor, humanity and vulnerability shine through every
word."
