Learn to LOVE your body
Do you find yourself constantly comparing your body to those around you? Are you living in hoodies and trackies because you ‘hate’ the way you look? Do you look in the mirror and wish you were smaller or bigger? I’ve been there.
There was a time in my life where I competed in bodybuilding, and although I was in the best shape I have ever been in my life, I’ve never felt so sh*t in my life. I was constantly comparing myself to people around me and putting so much pressure on myself. It came to the point where I had enough and had to get out of that environment.
I know girls who have the most insane bodies but are the most insecure people I’ve possibly ever met, and I know people who ooze confidence and they completely OWN the way they look and don’t give a sh*t. I mean really don’t give a shit. There’s a fine line, but a persons actions and the type of attention they draw really says a lot about how they’re feeling about themselves. It doesn’t make ‘bad people’, not at all. It just makes us aware, so that we can work on ourselves to become better people. It’s all positive! So, here are a few things that will help you when you’re feeling down about the way you look or feel inside, but may be ‘acting out’ on the outside…
1.) What DO you like?
We cant have it all with anything in life, but the people that go far learn to work with what they’ve got, not what they haven’t got. When you look in the mirror, think about things you like about the way you look rather than what you don’t like. When your inner voice starts to bad mouth the way you look, switch it to something complimentary about YOURSELF. Don’t look for outside approval. Your own approval is enough, you just have to learn to believe yourself and that you deserve better, remember that.
2.) Be HONEST with yourself
Is what you’re eating/doing/saying etc. on a daily basis helping you or is it the habit change in the first place that you’re finding difficult? And usually, it’s the habit change itself that is the HARDEST step when it comes to improving body image. You have to be honest with yourself before moving forward. It’s difficult to make a change and getting out of old habits (most of us hate change!) But I promise you, once you make that small difference, one step at a time, you will feel 100X better. Making that change in itself is an accomplishment (win win!).
3.) Be grateful
Getting hung up on the way you look is a waste of time and energy, and sometimes, it takes something pretty drastic to put things into perspective. Rather than focusing on the bad, write down a list of what you’re thankful for – those closest to you, your job, your home, your health etc! Take the time to be mindful and appreciative all the things you HAVE got, rather than what you haven’t. It’s all in the name of mindfulness and noticing the positives within yourself, by yourself, to yourself.
4.) Take a break from social media
Scrolling through Instagram and comparing yourself can be seriously unhealthy if your lacking body-confidence. Social media is smoke and mirrors. It’s just a reel off just all the ‘best bits’ that people WANT you to see. It’s not reality. In fact, it is the furthest thing from reality majority of the time. So don’t get swept up in the ‘great things they’re getting up to’ or ‘how amazing they look.’ Concentrate on yourself. They have down days too. Oh and they also have the same million and one apps to edit their pics like you do, so perfection as it seems is not always perfection in reality.
Body confidence is all about accepting yourself for how you are. Own the days where your bloated from eating too many carbs (we all do it!!! But we have to remember it’s our own responsibility too). Be thankful and grateful for your body. Be the girl that walks into the room and OOZES confidence and doesn’t SHOUT confidence, you’ll FEEL the difference and when you do, own it. We are all unique. We’re all different. So there’s absolutely no point in comparing yourself to other people. Being different is beautiful, so love yourself girl <3
