Action: Building on previous interventions about women, I created a booklet titled “Stellar Traveler: Seven Days Journeying with the Body.” Inspired by Lawrence M. Krauss’s quote about stardust, it reflects on the objective nature of our bodies. Incorporating Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s theory of phenomenology, the booklet focuses on a seven-day journey, encouraging participants to record and perceive their bodily experiences. Each day explores different aspects like body-environment interaction, uniqueness, sensing, self-acceptance, emotional connections, social media impact, and envisioning the future self. This format aims to inspire daily exploration and gradual acceptance of one’s body. Feedback came from one new participant and three who had previously joined interventions, especially M BB, who had engaged from the start.
Findings: The feedback was invaluable, confirming the effectiveness of this intervention for women. The new participant appreciated the seven-day length, establishing a habit of self-dialogue and self-affirmation. It helped her rediscover long-ignored aspects of her body and psyche. Another participant realized she often overlooked her body’s signals. The booklet also shifted perceptions about the “ideal body” on social media, highlighting the importance of observing and feeling one’s body changes. Thus, constant recording and reflecting can lead to conscious acceptance of one’s body, shifting focus from external to internal.
Reflection: While participants found the intervention meaningful, its reach was limited. They had pre-exposure to body image concepts through Xiaohongshu notes, suggesting the booklet might be challenging for those completely new to body image concepts. Future considerations involve balancing content integration and participant engagement without demanding excessive offline time. Social media will continue to play a role in promoting positive body image concepts.
Participant XIN：
Reference：
Lawrence Maxwell Krauss (2012). A Universe from Nothing : Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing. New York: Free Press.
Merleau-Ponty, M. and Landes, D.A. (2012). Phenomenology of Perception. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge.