Social media has told our generation of what a woman should look like. Celebrities and influencers are what young girls and women look up to these days and what they aspire to be like. In some ways, it can be good or bad. Most of the time, it can create body image problems because girls may not have the “perfect body type” that is displayed in the media.
I recently came across a blog post by Cassey Ho, a pop pilates Youtuber. In her blog post, she describes the beauty standards that are seen across Instagram and attempts to recreate the beauty standards that are seen today.
After reading her post, it made me think about body image and how it can have such a negative effect on women struggling with body insecurity. I have issues with body image myself and am very self-conscious when I see someone else who I deem as having a better body than that I do. When I catch myself having these negative thoughts, it makes me really sad that I don’t appreciate the body that I already have.
With that said, here are some ways that you can fight off body insecurity:
1. Turn off social media to stay away from the source of the problem
Social media has become such a phenomenon that it’s used by people every single day, every moment possible. Whether it’s Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter, it definitely shapes the way that people think. Staying off of social media will allow you to focus more on yourself and make you think less about if you are as good as those that you see online.
2. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else
This one can be especially hard if comparing yourself to someone is something that you do every day, even if it may be unconsciously. There will always be someone “better” than you, so just focus on being the best version of yourself. The only person that you should be comparing yourself to is the person that you were yesterday and how you can make today better than before.
3. Love yourself for what you have because someone else might want what you already have
Photo Courtesy of Instagram
This one hit hard for me. Every person is different and will always have a different perspective regarding body image. Even if you do want to make changes to your body, like losing weight or toning up, do it out of love for yourself, not for vanity. Having a “perfect” body might make you happier but if that’s what you depend on for your confidence, then it may not be beneficial in the long run because the body is always changing. That’s why it’s important to love yourself for who you are and not what you are.
You are not alone in this. There are so many other women and men who may struggle with body insecurity. That’s why learning to love the little things about yourself is so important because doing so can only help you to fully fall in love with your body, regardless of whether it meets the beauty standards of today’s society. Stay true to yourself and happiness will come from within.