How do you feel about your body? This is a question we constantly think about but often don’t actually address. We look in the mirror and pinpoint all the flaws we see, but how often do we celebrate the things we like about ourselves?
Beauty is all about being comfortable in your own skin and accepting who you are. This is hard for a lot of us because of societal pressure, which is why we are so often critical of our bodies. Body positivity and self-acceptance are essential pillars to our overall health—both physical and mental. Below are a few ways to learn how to be more body positive and celebrate your uniqueness.
- Start a healthy relationship with food.
This may seem obvious, but it’s an important place to start. The food that you put into your body impacts everything from your brain down to your toes. Giving your body the nutrients it needs to perform at its best by choosing wholesome, healthy foods will not only help you on your weight loss journey, but you’ll feel better too. And if you indulge in a few slices of pizza or a cookie, don’t beat yourself up about it. The reality is, it won’t have much of an impact on your overall progress. Enjoy it and move on from it. The important thing is not to be too hard on yourself—remember that most of the time you are choosing healthy and nutritious foods to fuel your body.
- Create a list of what you love most about yourself!
When you join that gym or start your fitness journey, head to the local bookstore to purchase a journal. Track your results in this journal and create a weekly list of the accomplishments and traits you’re most proud of. And, try not to edit yourself—list how clear your skin looks, challenging tasks you completed that week or even the personality traits you like most about yourself. This is a great way to give yourself a confidence boost and celebrate your uniqueness. Having a great hair day—write that down! Love the way you look in that dress—make note of it! Nailed a big meeting with your boss—celebrate that too! When you go back to read all the things you love about yourself or were proud of, you’ll see an ever-growing list of amazing things about you!
- Surround yourself with positive people.
There is no worse feeling than someone saying negative things about you, or at least it can seem that way sometimes. It can destroy our self-confidence and has been shown to impact our motivation. If we hear discouraging comments from people when we’re working hard to reach a goal, it can cause us to think we can’t do it—when we really can! By engaging with supportive friends and family, we’re more likely to continue on our journey and see it through to our goal. Never let someone else make you feel bad about yourself—you have the power to feel good about yourself every day. Why give that power away?
- Pick up a hobby or activity that makes you feel good.
Throughout the week always set aside some time to do something you love. That could be anything from painting to rock climbing at the local gym. Remember that Elle Woods quote from Legally Blonde? Elle says, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Well, when you do something you love, your body has a similar reaction. It releases endorphins, which triggers a positive feeling in your body. When we have a happier mindset, we are more likely to feel better and more energized. In turn, we have a more positive outlook on our bodies and aren’t so critical of them.
- Start a daily fitness regimen.
Studies show that people thrive when they have a daily routine they stick to on a regular basis. Having a daily routine helps decrease stress levels by making us feel more organized and put together. You probably have a morning routine you do before you get ready for work or drop the kids off at school and a nighttime routine at the close of the day that you rarely ever stray from. We recommend adding a fitness regimen to either your morning or evening routine to ensure that you’re getting the exercise your body needs. By establishing a fitness schedule that works with the rest of your day, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and more positive about your body in the process.
Feeling good about yourself is an important part of living a happy life. Be kind to your body by practicing healthy habits so you can live younger longer, look younger longer, and love your life.
