Social Media and its Influence on Body Image

Lately, when it comes to body image, social media has caused a negative effect on me. We tend to compare our bodies to the images we see on social media, but in reality, some of them are not realistic.

I have seen the positive side of social media’s body positivity such as women showing their fitness journeys and giving tips and advice on weight gaining, proper forms for lifting, weight loss tips, and more.

This has been great in promoting health and wellness, improved body image and mood for many women.

On the other hand, I have seen the pressure to be what social media shows as the “perfect body”, otherwise known as the coca-cola shaped body. It has allowed us to have unrealistic body goals because many women want to fit into those images that seem to receive the most engagement.

Social media can sometimes be seen as a toxic mirror because it makes us have these high expectations of our bodies. But in actuality, sometimes, the women we are comparing ourselves to have to get surgically enhanced. Though there is nothing wrong with surgical enhancements, we must remind ourselves that there is no need for comparing ourselves with anyone but ourselves.

Remember that we are more than the way we look, and perfection is the enemy of progress. It is important to strive for the body we want, but our goals should come from a realistic understanding of ourselves and our body’s capabilities. Some ways I build resilience and practice self-love so that I won’t compare myself are:

1. I practiced nurturing myself. I  do activities that I enjoy such as meditation, reading, and practicing self-care. This allows me to be more kind to myself and understand that I deserve all the love, regardless of what my body is feeling or doing.

2. Practicing thought awareness is helpful. When I don’t suppress any thoughts and allow them to run their course, I can approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. 

3. I focus on appreciating my body and what it can do. I turned myself into my own body goals. I can enjoy the gym because I saw what my body was capable of. I started focusing on making my body healthy instead of trying to look like someone else.

 

I can have the body, but if I am not confident within myself, I will never be satisfied and continuously look for validation elsewhere. 

Let’s focus on loving ourselves now and that confidence will follow!

• body image
• body positivity
• goals
• hcgsu
• HCXO
• love your body
• mental health
• Nurture
• social media