It’s not abnormal to feel down about how you look, a look in the mirror, and your once positive morning takes a quick turn. No one feels confident all the time, and no one always likes their body and the way they look, so it’s normal to feel those emotions.
However, it’s not okay to dwell on them and think you’re not beautiful so you don’t look like a super-thin runway model (who, by the way, has personal trainers, dietitians and specialists to look like this!)
1. Realize that social media…is not what it seems
First, you need to realize that social media isn’t real.
Angles, Photoshop and filters are exactly what you’re looking at, not a real body. Society creates these unrealistic expectations for women to look a certain way and if you don’t, you’re not seen as attractive and it impacts your mental health.
You have to get out of this illusion that we all believe what we see is real, it’s not. These social media models we see follow strict diets, workouts and have edited the photos they post.
Slowly but surely, society is becoming more body positive and more and more “real” photos of individuals with diverse bodies are surfacing in our news.
2. Stop comparing yourself
It’s easy to look at someone and think “Wow, why don’t I look like that?” and although it is a natural thought, it is unhealthy to constantly compare yourself, it ruins self-confidence.
You have to remember that everyone’s body types and shapes are different and it comes down to many factors like genetics and lifestyle. Don’t compare yourself to others because everyone is different and that includes you!
3. Don’t force change
There will be that menacing voice in your head telling you that you don’t need another bite or that you need to get in better shape, don’t listen to it. Don’t force change just because of the unrealistic societal norms and expectations they impose on everyone at such a young age.
You don’t need these unhealthy diets. You don’t have to do this workout that promises abs in a week.
The world loves to market people’s insecurities and you don’t have to listen to them because you are already perfect in your own way!
4. Get out of your comfort zone
Maybe you’ve always been unsure about a particular thing about your body, well, it’s time we changed that!
The next time you’re out shopping and looking through those shelves of clothes, choose an item you’ve always wanted to wear but never had the confidence to wear. It will boost your confidence when you put it on and realize… how gorgeous you are!
I never wore crop tops until about a year ago because I was always a bit body conscious, but now half my closet is full of them. All it takes is a little push and you’ll feel so much happier with yourself.
5. Get rid of toxic influences
Not everyone feels safe and that’s a fact, but what baffles me is how people can walk around and discriminate against other people’s “flaws”? You absolutely don’t need negative people in your life telling you things about your body that make you feel bad.
There’s no need to boost yourself up if you lower someone’s self-esteem and make them feel embarrassed.
As soon as I came out of a toxic environment filled with people who regularly made me feel small, I became so much more confident in myself. Try to avoid people you know are toxic and who constantly make you feel bad, you don’t have to put up with that.
6. Think about it, then believe it
My best advice for body positivity is to fake it until you make it.
You need to think about all the positive aspects of yourself and your body. When you maintain this mindset for a while, you will start to believe it!
Wake up and keep telling yourself that you look amazing and feel positive about how you look today (even if you don’t feel the least bit confident). You will see, indeed, a change in your confidence in no time.
Once you get that mindset, you’ll start to see that even if you don’t look like the models, you don’t need to because you already look great!
7. Gradually get out of your comfort zone
Now that you’ve gotten there with confidence, it’s time to do those things you’ve never felt confident enough to do. Maybe summer is approaching and you’re completely dreading showing your skin at the beach.
It’s time to push those boundaries in your mindset and go rock that swimsuit you loved but never wanted to buy because of your lack of body confidence. The more confident you are, the less you will worry about your appearance.
It’s a matter of not caring. Go out and wear that dress you’re wearing and don’t listen to what anyone says to you (unless it’s compliments of course!)
You only have one body and it will accompany you all your life, so you must learn to love and appreciate it because it belongs only to you.
There’s nothing wrong with being aware of your body, but if you let those thoughts take over and interfere with your life, then it becomes another problem you don’t need. Stop letting people judge you and stop judging yourself.
Work on becoming the confident, inspiring young person you know you can be and love every inch, roll and curve you have!
