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Loving your body is often easier said than done. Studies have shown that around 70% of women who are aged between 18 and 30 dislike their bodies. Men aren’t much better either. 45% of men have said that they are not happy with the way that they look. If you don’t feel as good about your body as you could then you have nothing to worry about. You are not alone, and there are truly countless ways that you can work on your body positivity. If you want to find out more, then take a look below.
Practice Positive Affirmations
One of the best and most effective ways that you can practice self-love would be for you to speak it out loud and often. Give yourself a verbal affirmation every day, along with reminders about how well you are doing. It may be that you choose to put an encouraging sticky note right on your bedside table or that you simply list some positive encouragements on your fridge. Either way, it may sound a bit silly at first but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t going to work for you. In fact, studies have shown that little things like this can have a huge impact on your mental health overall.
Think Healthier and not Slimmer
When you are making meals or even when you hit the gym, you have to make sure that you do not frame your goals according to your scales. A healthy diet, along with exercise should never be a punishment. In fact, it is actually one of the best ways for you to show both respect and appreciation for your body. For this reason, instead of thinking about your body weight, how you are shaped, or anything else of the sort, put a focus on all of the things that your body has enabled you to do. When you are able to do this, you can then see healthy eating and exercise as a way to nourish your body.
Compliment Others
It is not uncommon for people to project their own insecurities onto other people. This is understandable, but it’s something you need to try and stop if you find yourself doing it. You may find that you end up judging other people harshly because you are judging yourself harshly and this is the last thing you need. When you are able to open yourself up to others, you will soon find that it is much easier for you to be kinder to yourself. Take the time to give someone a compliment, or say to them something that you wished you’d gotten when you truly needed it. If you can be someone’s silver lining, and if you can tell them they are rocking the look they have gone with, then this will really work in your favour.
Surround Yourself with Positivity
Unfortunately, negative body image messages are everywhere. They really do have a way of affecting your mental health too. It may be that you are continually seeing images of models that have been photoshopped or that you have negative people in your life. Either way, research has shown time and time again that people who spend a lot of time on social media are far more likely to experience a negative body image. If you are one of them then you may find that you are actually at a higher risk of an eating disorder as well. If you can take the time to look for people who are positive and those who practice self-care, then this will help you to encourage yourself to be who you really are.
Focus on What you Love
Every single time you feel a somewhat negative thought creep into your mind, it is imperative that you take the time to counter it by instead, focusing on something positive. One way for you to do this would be for you to think about something that you love about your body. You don’t have to focus on the way that your body looks here either. Just think about the things that your body allows you to do. If you are a naturally strong person, then focus on this. If you are able to walk for miles without fatiguing, list this as well. Little things like this will help you to focus on being the best version of yourself and it will also help you to focus on what you love more too.
Quit Comparing Yourself
You have to remember that people come in every shape and size. One person could well be beautiful in one way, but someone else will be in an entirely different way. This is how it should be as well. Imagine if there was just one way to look beautiful, the world would be a pretty boring place, right? If you spend all of your life comparing yourself, then you may find that you don’t end up looking the way you think you should, or feeling like yourself. This is the last thing you want, so focus on yourself, where possible.
Quit the Negative Talk
The next time you find yourself talking about yourself in a negative or degrading way, think to yourself, would you talk to a friend this way? Probably not. If this is the case, then you have to try and avoid saying it. Negative self-talk will really impact your confidence, and it will also stop you from thinking as positively as you could. You should not be getting abuse from anyone, most of all yourself. If you can, take the time to surround yourself with positive people who support you as well. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you are able to get the biggest boost in confidence.
Absorb Positivity
The world is truly full of negative images and if you want to feel better about yourself, one thing you can do is try and balance out all of the negative noise with some good and more positive perspectives. There is a ton of literature out there regarding positive body imagery, and if you can use them to your advantage, then you may find that it can help you to change your perspective about yourself. Make a playlist full of feel-good songs or even follow some bloggers who focus on body positivity. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you are able to really turn those negative thoughts around.
Do Something for You
Think about it, when was the last time that you actually gave your body a gift? Carve out a bit of time to have a nap, have a bubble bath, or even walk up the hill in your local area so you can get a bird’s eye view. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to burn calories while also getting some much-needed self-care. Other things that you can do include giving yourself a manicure or even visiting the salon so you can get your hair done. If you want to visit the salon but don’t quite have the budget for it yet, then you can easily use these 4c hair care tips to your advantage.
Try and Meditate
Sometimes the best way for you to feel better about yourself is to focus on your mental state. One way that you can do this would be for you to meditate. When you meditate you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to clarify your mental thoughts and you can gain a lot of positive headspace this way too. If you are new to meditation then you have nothing to worry about because there are tons of apps out there that you can use to try and gain an insight into what you need to do and you may even find that there are some videos too, so you can go along with someone while you learn the ropes. Things like this can help you to really change your mental perspective and it can be an invaluable way for you to relieve stress. If you have a busy or a stressful lifestyle, then you may find that you just don’t have time to feel good about yourself, and this is where mindfulness and meditation comes in handy.
Of course, feeling better about yourself won’t happen overnight but if you take the time to use the above tips, then you should find that you are able to make a positive change in your life. Remember that it doesn’t take a lot for you to turn things around, and sometimes it is the smallest things that happen to make the biggest change. If you feel down then you can always speak to a friend about the way you feel as well, as they can guide and support you through any negative feelings you may be having about yourself or even about your body, so be mindful of that if you can.
