Do you ever find yourself looking in the mirror and not liking what you see? We are our own worst enemy. I have sat with groups of women and talked about what parts of our bodies we hate. We all have something we dislike about ourselves and it needs to stop. We need to work more on loving ourselves.
We compare our bodies to the bodies of others and judge ourselves for not measuring up to what we THINK we should look like. In doing so, we can do a number on our self-confidence. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthier or desiring to achieve a certain look, but don’t beat yourself up on your journey there. We have to start loving ourselves more and being more positive.
Here are a few tips that will help you boost your body image…
1. Make a List of Positive Things
Write down at least 10 things you like about your body and who you are. This could include your eyes, your curly hair, your strong legs, your kindness, or your sense of humor, maybe even that crooked little tooth of yours. Save the list and pull it our whenever you start to feel not so positive about yourself.
When it comes to your body, focusing on what you think is a problem area is just going to make you feel worse. Trust me, I know this all too well. Decide what you want to work on and focus on ways to improve and what you’ve accomplished so far. Everything will come together when you focus on the positive improvements.
3. Get Rid of the Negative Nancy’s.
When you start to feel better about yourself, some people around you might not be comfortable with the new you and they could start being a little rude. If these people are meaningful to you, I don’t recommend dismissing them out of your life entirely, but if you can, try to distance yourself from them or talk to them about why they need to stop. They may even decide to join you in your journey.
4. Find People Who Motivate You
There are so many people out there who are inspirational. Feed off their positivity and let them motivate you. Get out there and spend time with someone who motivates you.
5. Wear Clothes That Accentuate Your Shape
Wearing baggy clothes can make you look bigger than you are, making you feel less confident. Instead, dress in ways that flatter your body type. There are all different styles out there. As they say, dress to impress but, this time it is to impress yourself.
6. Talk to Yourself
This one might feel a little odd, but especially if you’ve been engaging in negative self-talk (“My stomach is too big,” “my nose is ugly,” etc.) it’s important. The next time you look in the mirror, say (or at least think) something positive about your body or your features. This type of positive reinforcement will get your brain moving in a healthier direction.
7. Take some time for YOU
Do something kind for your body. Take a hot bubble bath and relax, go and get a massage. By taking some time for you, and doing something that makes you feel physically great, it’ll help you’ll feel emotionally great too.
8. Smile
Not only does smiling look good on the outside, it actually releases endorphins that make you feel good on the inside. When you are smiling, you will more than likely get a smile back which just might make your day, or even that other persons day.
9. Accept a Compliment
When someone gives you a compliment, receive it graciously. Just enjoy it. Responding to a compliment with something self-deprecating is not only negative, it also strips the joy away from the person giving it to you. Accept the love you’re getting. You deserve it.
10. Just be comfortable.
Try being comfortable with who you are while getting to where you want to be. Love everything about yourself. This is your body and you are beautiful. You have always been beautiful, you’ve just decided to be healthy now by taking this journey. Enjoy every step of it because it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey and who you become along the way.
Stay positive my friends!!
