Body positivity is all the rage these days, but let's be honest—it can feel like one heck of a mountain to climb. Picture this: it’s 2024, every magazine is telling you to "love the skin you're in," and every Insta influencer is flaunting their yoga-toned abs. Meanwhile, you've missed yoga five weeks in a row and don’t even ask where your gym membership card is. Suddenly, feeling comfortable with your body seems like a Herculean task. Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be! For many of us, the journey to body confidence isn't a flashy overnight transformation but a series of small, positive steps that lead to big changes.
Self-esteem struggles are a real deal, and I've been there, too. Imagine pulling on your favorite pair of jeans, only to realize you don’t feel quite 'you' in them anymore. So now you're thinking, how the heck do I overcome this? Great news, you don’t need a magic wand or a fairy godmother—just some practical tips and a sprinkling of humor.
Before I took my first steps towards body positivity, I was that girl. You know, the one who wore oversized hoodies even in the summer, thanks to insecurity. The girl who had a list of “100 ways to dress to hide your body flaws” bookmarked in her browser. But guess what? All it took was shifting my mindset and arming myself with a few tricks to transition from feeling like a wallflower to strutting my stuff with confidence.
Feeling good about yourself often starts with embracing self-compassion. It's about treating yourself the way you'd treat your best friend (and let's face it, our besties get the royal treatment). Step by step, I moved towards appreciating my body rather than seeing it as a never-ending DIY project. And spoiler alert: It felt pretty darn good!
Another game-changer was when I learned to ditch the comparison game. Because seriously, no amount of online scrolling is worth your peace of mind. Trust me, I've fallen down that digital rabbit hole many times. Swapping out harmful habits for positive ones like practicing mindfulness has led to a more relaxed, happier me.
By the way, one of my favorite sections in this article is all about finding supportive communities. We're social creatures, after all, and a little validation from people who genuinely "get it" can work wonders.
So, buckle up and get ready for this guide packed with relatable insights and actionable tips. Together, we'll tackle everything from transforming your wardrobe to reprogramming your brain with positive affirmations. Keep reading, and let's embark on this empowering journey to authentic body confidence, one confident step at a time!
This may not be as easy as it sounds, but learning to love your body and everything you have naturally will allow you to feel happier (generally speaking) and let you truly own what you have. Give yourself time to feel good in your own skin! Many people have had self-esteem issues in the past so it may take longer to achieve, but it can most certainly be done over time and with plenty of self-love. No one on this planet has exactly the same body as you, you're completely unique and original, so what's not to love?
Many women don't feel confident about their bodies because they have curves. But you should always remember that curves are amazing so if you have them, make sure you flaunt them! Everyone has a slightly different body shape and more or less curves than the next person, but the fact that we have a different amount of curviness (and in different places, too) is what separates us and make our bodies unique. We shouldn't be any less confident just because we might have a curvy body.
If you're not very confident about your weight, something you could aim to achieve is to step on the scales every now and again without thinking obsessively about the number staring back at you. Having a good relationship with your scales means using them every now and again to check your weight and health, but also making sure to do this in a healthy and positive way.
Another way to feel confident about your body is to simply use it in a way that makes you feel...well...confident. This could be anything such as running, yoga, pilates, aerobics, weight lifting, walking and even gymnastics. It includes any sport and so many hobbies that make us feel good and happy. For example, if you're particularly fond of netball, whenever you play you are using your body in a positive way which allows you to feel confident while doing so. Think about all our bodies can do for us, what it can allow us to achieve and then consider what you can do to fully utilise that privilege. The next time you do that particular hobby or sport, remind yourself of how lucky you are to have the ability to do it without problems or complications. A healthy and active body is a beautiful thing!
We can be a perfectionist about many things in life but unfortunately your body is not one of them. There is no such thing as a 'perfect' body, despite what the media and other things may tell you or try to get you to think, it's nothing but an illusion that should really be shattered. Choose to focus on what your body can do rather than what it cannot!
Every morning you get up and look in the mirror, think of something you love about your body. It could be anything big or small, just as long as it's there and you can see it! Repeat this process each and every morning so that you get into the habit of thinking really positively about your body which will lead to great levels of self-esteem and confidence!
It's only natural that some days we're not going to feel as confident about our body than other days, so it might help to talk to someone close to you who you trust, and tell them how you're feeling. You'd be surprised at how easily others can relate to this sort of thinking, which comes from exchanging thoughts and opinions. Give each other compliments by telling them what you like about their body so that you can both feel more confident together!
A great way to remain body positive is to not say anything negative about yourself. Sounds simple right? Except it's a lot harder said than done! Fat shaming yourself will only cause your self esteem to drop and your motivation to better yourself dwindle. Sometimes we do it without noticing, like saying things to friends to boost them when they're feeling negative, acknowledge when you do this behavior and make a conscious effort to stop in the future.
In order to change how you talk and feel about yourself, you're going to have to make a habit to be better about it. Slap some post it notes on the mirror, the fridge, anywhere you frequently look. Put things on them that remind you to stay body positive and after about 3-4 weeks, you won't need the post it's to feel better because you just will naturally! It's creating a healthy habit for yourself which is awesome.
The things you say to yourself should be things you'd say to someone you love. This is a great way to make yourself aware of the way you're speaking to your body. Would you call your mother, best friend, or sister fat and disgusting? Then you shouldn't say it to yourself! Always hold yourself to a standard that's higher than the general public and you will soon learn to love yourself completely.
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