In an age where the media paints warped pictures about body image, it can be difficult to be accepting of yourself. You look at what they call beautiful and compare it to your look. Often times, you end up developing an unhealthy body image.
Today’s the day to put aside what someone else calls beautiful. Your body is precious and unique. Its uniqueness alone is enough to be considered beautiful.
Adopt these practices and begin to nurture a healthy body image:
1. Embrace your strengths. Instead of focusing on how your body looks, focus on what your body can do.
- Remember your body includes your mind, heart, and soul.
- You’re a brilliant human being. Embrace your ability to be successful in a career.
- You have a very kind heart. It’s the kind of heart that makes others around you happy. Making them happy causes them to want to be around you. If that’s not beautiful, what is?
2. Become a role model. Those who are less fortunate than you are probably looking for a role model with a strong self-image. Why not be that role model for them?
- Keep your eyes open in your community. There’s likely someone whose confidence is waning because things aren’t working out. Share your heart and soul with that person.
- You’ll soon realize that focusing on the inner being instead of the outer being is more fulfilling. Allow your inner being to bring beauty and light into the world.
3. Read motivational content. Sure, there will be days when you feel a little down in the dumps. Sometimes all it takes to get back up is someone else’s encouraging words.
- Look online for motivational speakers you can relate to. Listen to their stories and experiences. How many of them are similar to yours? Take time to understand how others get through similar situations. That’s a great way to build encouragement. I love reading and listening to Zig Ziglar.
- Sometimes motivation can come from the least expected sources. You could run into someone who is less fortunate than you, but is happy to be living in their own skin.
4. Maintain healthy relationships. The people you spend your time with help to mold the image you have of yourself. Choose to be around others who encourage you to love yourself just the way you are.
- Family and true friends are beacons of light. They love you unconditionally and see past your exterior. They see beauty in you that you perhaps overlooked.
- Spend time with people who enjoy giving compliments. Those people help to build your confidence and show you that you’re truly loveable.
5. Reward yourself for success. Taking this route eventually allows you to develop self-acceptance. Once you realize that very little of your potential is tied to what your body looks like, you’ll start to celebrate your entire being.
- When you achieve something great, go out and celebrate. It important because it cements in your mind that having a particular physical appearance doesn’t hinder success.
Taking care of yourself means nurturing a healthy body image, inside and out. Reaffirm your positive traits each day until you really believe them. Everybody else does, and they’re waiting for you to catch up!