TW: Body Image
Most people are afraid of snakes, skydiving, or being stuck in a small room; however, I’m most afraid of the mirror–at least I used to be. Waking up every morning to look in the mirror was an exhausting task. One day my thighs would look too big and the next I felt my arms were too small. No matter what, the mirror always made me feel inadequate.
Believe it or not, many women in their early 20s feel the same way. Living in a society today that is infatuated with social media, it can be hard to feel like enough. Scrolling through Instagram to see beautiful women that fit perfectly into society’s expectations is eye-straining. However, most of the time their bodies are based on genetics, plastic surgery or an unrealistic way of living.
As soon as I came to this realization, I no longer let the mirror define me. Our body image should not be determined by what we see on our screens or by societal standards. Learning to love our bodies and understanding that we inherently are all built differently will change someone’s life (seriously!). Here are five ways to help foster a positive body image:
Appreciate Your Body
Appreciating our bodies is one of the most important aspects of fostering a positive body image. Oftentimes we only focus on what we don’t like rather than loving what we have. Our bodies allow us to be able to run, dance, smile, laugh, breathe and more! Our bodies are a blessing and appreciating all it provides us is an absolute must.
Morning Affirmations
We’ve all had those days when we wake up a pessimist and for the rest of the day we walk around with a dark cloud over our head. We feel this way because our mind has control over our emotions and one negative thought can disrupt everything, especially when it comes to our bodies. To avoid such thoughts, practice saying positive affirmations each morning. These are “I am” statements that will start each day on a positive note and remind us of what we love about ourselves. Here are a few examples:
-
I am beautiful.
-
I am strong.
-
I am worthy.
-
I am enough.
Don’t Believe Everything You See on Social Media
Looking through social media can be daunting and can further induce negative emotions. What we fail to remember is that not every image we see online is 100 percent raw and real. Most images are over-edited or angled strategically. If these images aren’t accurate then why should we determine our self-worth off them? We shouldn’t.
Practice Self-Care
Taking care of our bodies is vital to feeling good about ourselves. Going to the gym, doing a skincare routine and practicing mental health coping mechanisms are just a few ways we can take care of our bodies and minds. Looking out for ourselves and doing things that make us feel good will help us to love the bodies we are in.
Immerse Yourself in Positivity
It’s obvious that when we surround ourselves with negativity, we begin to feel it too. The law of attraction is very much real and changing the environments we are in can impact how we feel on a daily basis. Surrounding ourselves with people who make us feel good in our own skin will genuinely impact the way we see ourselves.
For support, contact the National Eating Disorder Association at (800)-931-2237.