The Shirt Tug: Is Your Closet Yelling at You? EP 18

The podcast episode with Nina Manolson and Jennie Kramer dives deep into the emotional and cultural dynamics behind a seemingly small habit many women have—the "shirt tug." It’s not just about adjusting clothing; it’s about addressing the relationship we have with our bodies and the cultural messages that shape how we see ourselves.

Nina and Jennie unpack how the shirt tug reflects deeper feelings of self-consciousness and body dissatisfaction. It's not just about fixing clothing; it’s a reaction to internalized weight stigma and societal pressures. Jennie aptly notes, "The shirt tug fundamentally says, 'I'm not okay the way I am.”

The hosts discuss how diet culture perpetuates feelings of inadequacy, leading to behaviors like body checking. Jennie explains, “Body checking is an aggressive way of being in relationship with our body. It happens at home, on the street, or even when we catch ourselves in photos.”

The discussion delves into how shame, comparison, and even past traumas affect our body image. Nina highlights a poignant moment with a client: “She realized that even though no one ever criticized her body, she absorbed her parents’ self-criticism—and it shaped how she saw herself.”

Jennie reminds us that we all need to feel comfortable in our body. She explains an exercise she does with her clients who are asked to select photos of themselves over their lifetime. From those early toddler years up to the present, as a way of recognizing and embracing that you are the same person along that entire lifetime. You aren’t an age or a size, rather you are you; a person worthy of acceptance. 

What if we practiced self-compassion instead of bodychecking? Jennie and Nina outline how to address the “shirt-tug” in the moment to better understand the feelings behind the need to adjust. 

• When you catch yourself bodychecking or tugging your shirt, pause and ask: what am I feeling right now? 
• Reframe the moment. Instead of criticism choose kindness towards yourself. 
• Allow for flexibility in how you think about your appearance or clothing as a way to start removing rigid thoughts and beliefs. 

Acceptance is not surrendering, giving in, resigning. Acceptance is about understanding that this is exactly who I am in this moment. I can't be any different than I am in this moment. And I am who I am right now, right here.

You can start to make these shifts today, one small decision at a time. Practice self-compassion and give yourself permission to acknowledge all the parts of who you are. 

⁠Connect with Nina and Jennie⁠

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