How do you feel about your body? Do you like what you see in the mirror? If you’re anything like me, your eyes are drawn to everything that isn’t right rather than what does look good. Feeling bad about the way you look can seriously undermine your self esteem and confidence.
It’s easy to compare ourselves to others but remember that others may not be happy with themselves either – we are all quite self critical and most of us have self doubt. The medai certainly doesn’t help either. We are bombarded by images of perfection and expect oursleves to look as great as those models in the magazines. Thing is – the photo you see is probably the best of 50 shots taken and it might also be airbrushed! Who can realistically live up to that? No wonder we all have self esteem and body image issues.
How to have a confident body image has a lot to do with your mindset and attitude. It’s more about how you feel about yourself rather than how you actually look. We all come in different shapes and sizes and the best gift you can give to yourself is to accept and like the way you look NOW. You can always improve if you want to, sure, but get in the habit of healthy acceptance of how you look at the moment.
Avoid putting yourself down in front of other people
Avoid labelling the parts of your body that you don’t like. Just don’t do it. Instad focus on the parts of your body that you do like. Be appreciative that your bod functions well too – is it healthy? We get so focused on the exterior that we forget to be thankful for how well our bodies work for us.
Avoid comparing your body to bodies in magazine images
This is very damaging. It isn’t a fair comparison either on any level. Your body is real, the images you see in magazines have been ‘doctored’ – they have been thinned down, tanned, tucked etc…not a true picture at all. Don’t get sucked in and think this is how real people look. Most people don’t look this way.
Shift your focus from what your body looks like to what it can do
Does it work well for you? Can you walk, run, jump, laugh, communicate with others? If it can, be appreciative, some bodies don’t work in that way. Some people can’t talk, can’t walk, can’t communicate – get your wonderful body in perspective and learn to respect it more.
Value yourself
There is always room for improvement if you fancy it – dance, do exercise, try yoga. I know that when I am disciplined and do exercise it lifts my mood incredibly and makes me feel proud of myself. Value yourself and look after your body.
Never compare
Our bodies are very different and all shapes and sizes are normal. We live in a world where we scrutinise looks more than is healthy. Wouldn’t it be great if we could celebrate our differences? A flower doesn;t compare its petals to the flower next to it, it just blooms. We can do that too…
Mandy X
Photo by teammarche 
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
