8 Tips To Help You Become Body Positive
The truth is that we live in a society that emphasises heavily on images. We see Instagram models and celebrities who look a certain way and are often made to question our own bodily appearances. We feel the need to change and fix ourselves to fit into a society with constantly changing beauty standards. But the journey to actual self-love requires us to tune out societal expectation and rejoice in the uniqueness of our bodies. Here are some tips to help you become body positive!
Surround yourself with positive energy.
In a lot of the cases insecurities to do with the body stem from your surroundings, perhaps it’s the expectations of society but sometimes it can even be the people that are around you and the views and values that they hold. So when embarking on your journey of self-love begin by taking a good look at your companions. Do your friends support you? Do they uplift you? Do they understand that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes? If the answer is no, maybe it’s time to make a change. This will definitely help you become body positive.
Think of the bigger picture.
For those of you who consider yourself to be spiritual, it can help to get closer to God, maybe meditate or simply just understand that the universe is much greater than anything you could imagine and while your flaws may seem like a big deal to you personally, in the grand scheme of things they aren’t so big.
Celebrate your body.
Don’t neglect your body. Make sure that you are dressing in a way that makes you feel beautiful, it can be the smallest of the things. Maybe it’s that summer dress in your closet that you’ve been too shy to wear out. It can even be going to the spa, getting a manicure or your hair and makeup done, stunt on all the haters and prove to yourself that you are beautiful!
Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.
Whenever you find that you are falling into that dark place and questioning your self-worth, switch things up. For example, if you begin to dwell on a part of your body that you do not like, write down one positive thing about that part of the body. Teach yourself to love your body by challenging your own thoughts!
Take time to work on you.
Try not to begin new relationships before you have accepted yourself. Research shows that feelings of worthlessness interfere with relationships and you cannot truly love another until you have loved yourself. So, begin by falling in love with yourself first.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Never compare your body to others, understand that we are all unique and that beauty is not subject to one form. Don’t spend too much time looking at Instagram models or worrying about your stretch marks. Instead, celebrate other people bodies but understand that each body is different in its own way. You may find both of your friends absolutely stunning even though they look nothing alike. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’
Focus on building other parts of your life.
Sometimes, focusing on progressing in other parts of your life can give you the confidence to love yourself. Instead, of dwelling on the parts of yourself that you cannot easily change, look at parts of your life that you can. Maybe look towards improving your career, or your school, it can even be spending more time with your family and friends. You can sure this will help you stay body positive!
Understand that time will heal.
While it may seem hopeless now, understand that your feelings and your insecurities will eventually go away. What may seem like the most daunting thing will be forgotten in the future or may even become what you love about yourself the most. Do not wallow in the fear that you will never feel positive about your body because you will!
