It can be really easy to fall into negative thinking about your body. We see so many images of the “ideal” body and often only find value in weight loss. It is a really unhealthy mindset, and we should try to avoid it where possible – easier said than done, right? Here are some thoughts on self-love and accepting your body without punishing it for not being the unrealistic body we see in the media. If you feel like this is you, read on and take note of these positive attitudes
Blame
Sometimes in life, bad things happen that are out of your control, and it’s very hard to accept that we don’t have power over all elements of our existence. We often push the blame on our body. You didn’t make the sports team because of your size; your date didn’t call you back because they didn’t like the size of your waist, people at work don’t respect you because of your weight. These things are not true, and if you try and stop thinking in this way, you will have a much better relationship with your body.
Comments
We’ve all experienced this: you are wearing a new outfit that you love. It’s comfortable, but it still makes you look and feel great. You are ready for the day and in a great mood. Then you get a comment. It could be something tiny, a little word from someone at work or maybe not even words. It could be just a look that could be interpreted differently and instantly your good feelings are gone. You shouldn’t let other people affect how you feel. If you are happy and confident, then you need to hang on to that feeling. Don’t let others bring you down.
Sizing
A big way to feel bad about yourself and your body is to let clothing sizes define you. At this point, it’s pretty well known that clothing sizes are a mystery and change depending on the store or even the clothing item. These numbers are merely arbitrary and do not define your worth so as soon as you stop beating yourself up for going up a size or celebrating when your size seems to decrease, you will see your happiness increase.
Trash talk
It can be very easy when you’re with a group of friends to get involved in talking unkindly about your own body. When everyone is giving beating themselves down, falling in line with them can just be the simplest thing, but you shouldn’t do it. Encourage yourself and those you know to celebrate what you have, what your body is capable of and what they have achieved. If you all talk and act positively as a group, it is much easier to keep up the trend. Talk to (and about) yourself, internally, in the kind and supportive way you would talk to a friend.
It is much easier said than done just to start loving your body, but if you think about these small steps, you can start to develop a more positive attitude to your body. It will help in the long run and make you much happier in many aspects of your life.
