Have you ever had a moment where you’re so happy in your body that you just want to dance? Or maybe you’ve felt totally disconnected from yourself and seen yourself as an object. Or perhaps, like most people, you’ve experienced both states of being at some point in your life.
Body image isn’t just about how we look on the outside, it’s also about how we feel on the inside. And even if we’re not always happy with our bodies, it’s important for us to accept them and be able to live in them comfortably. If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Ugh, I hate my thighs,” or “Do people really think I’m cute?” it could mean there isn’t enough comfort or acceptance of the body. But if you’ve ever looked at yourself and thought, “I love my strong arms,” or “I know I look good,” there’s a high chance you’re well on your way to accepting and celebrating your body.
Accepting our bodies doesn’t mean that we’re always happy with how we look or feel. But we can hopefully reach a point where we have more positive feelings than negative ones.
In this guide, we’ll talk about what it means to have a healthy relationship with your body, how acceptance works and why it’s important for our lives.
Accept Your Body and Appreciate Your Body
You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are deserving. You are enough.
You have a body, and that body is yours to do with as you wish. But sometimes it can feel like your body isn’t good enough, or that it’s not the way you want it to be. And that’s okay! But don’t let that stop you from appreciating your body for what it is—and working with it to make it better, if that’s what you want to do!
Your body is unique. And while you may not have the perfect hourglass figure or be able to get into a size 6 dress, that’s okay! Your body is perfect just as it is.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting our own well-being, pursuing happiness, and having the ability, tools, and resources to respond to periods of stress so that they don’t result in imbalance and lead to a health crisis.
It’s not as simple as “take a day off work” or “get your nails done.” It’s about making sure that you are mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy — and then working with others who care about you so that they can help keep you there.
Life can be tough and you’re probably feeling a little run down. You know that feeling where you just want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and binge watch your favourite show? Yeah, we get it. You’re worth it. You deserve to take care of yourself and look after your mental and physical health. You’re worth taking care of, so don’t leave yourself out.
Be Kind to Yourself
We’ve all been there: you’re trying to do something, and it’s not going as well as you had hoped. You’re frustrated with yourself and your lack of progress, and you start to feel like a failure. You’re prone to beating yourself up for not being good enough — and then the cycle starts again.
But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way. You can be kind to yourself by being mindful of negative self-talk, accepting that to err is human, and focusing on what lights you up. So many of us are our own worst enemies. We’re constantly telling ourselves that we aren’t good enough, or that we’ll never accomplish our goals.
It doesn’t have to be like this. You can be kind to yourself by being mindful of negative self-talk, accepting that to err is human, and focusing on what lights you up.
Be Realistic About the Role Your Body Plays in Life
It’s time to stop playing small. We all know that the way we look and feel affects the way we perform in life, but it’s also true that our performance in life can affect how we look and feel. If you want to be a more confident person, then you need to start by being confident in yourself as a physical being.
It’s up to us whether we view our bodies as a hindrance or an asset, but no matter how we look at it, our bodies play a huge role in our lives. We can’t just ignore their impact on us anymore, not if we want to live a life full of love and joy.
But here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter what your body looks like or what size it is, you still get to do whatever you want with it! You still get to live life your way, regardless of how your body feels today (or tomorrow).
And guess what? When we’re realistic about the role our body plays in life, when we stop expecting ourselves to be perfect all the time — we can start living our lives instead of waiting for them to start living themselves through us.
Never Compare Yourself to Other People
Sometimes, when we’re feeling like life is just too hard or we’re not doing well enough, it can be tempting to compare ourselves to others.
We want to know that we’re doing okay, but we don’t want to feel like we’re doing poorly either. And when we see someone else who seems like they have their life together in a way that makes us feel like our own life isn’t as good as theirs, it can be hard not to feel a little down.
Comparing yourself to other people will never make you feel better about yourself or your situation, You are unique. You have something to offer the world that no one else can offer.
Take Time to Reflect on What You Are Grateful For
The most important thing you can do for yourself every day is to take time to reflect on what you are grateful for. You can start by writing down three things that you are grateful for, or even just one.
Anything that makes your heart feel good — whether it’s the way your dog greets you at the door when you get home, or the fact that there’s still chocolate left in your cupboard — sparks gratitude in your mind. This can be something small like a beautiful sunset or something big like how far you’ve come in life thus far. The point isn’t what makes you feel grateful; it’s simply acknowledging and appreciating all of the things in life that make us happy.
So today, as soon as you wake up and finish washing your face and brushing your teeth (and maybe also getting dressed), take some time to think about all the good things in your life, even if they seem small or insignificant compared to other people’s problems. Then go forth into this beautiful world feeling like you can do anything.
Focus on Things That Bring You Joy and Put Your Energy Into Those Things
Many people get swamped by similar feelings, colossal waves of negativity covering up all aspects of their lives. Those who try to battle it back with more negativity, get all their positive emotions siphoned out from their daily lives.
But you can change that. You have the power to make a positive impact on your life and the lives around you. Here are some tips on how to overcome negativity:
- Focus on things that bring you joy and put your energy into those things.
- Find the right balance between work and play; don’t let yourself get caught up in negative thoughts while doing either one.
- Be mindful of what you consume, the food we eat, the media we watch, the people we surround ourselves with (on social media or in real life). These things have an effect on our mindsets, so choose wisely!
Honour The Moods of Your Body
You’re tired. You’re stressed. You’re exhausted from trying to keep up with the world and stay on top of your responsibilities, but you also want to be there for your friends, family and partner.
You want to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of them better. But when you try to find the time, it always seems like there’s something else that needs doing first.
We all have days where we feel like we just can’t do it. We’re tired, unmotivated, and just don’t have the energy to get up and move. But if you take a moment to listen to your body, it’s got a lot to tell you. It’s trying to tell you that it needs rest, or some food, or maybe just a little bit of time off.
So why not honor the moods of your body? Honour how it feels, its moods, needs, likes and dislikes. You can do this by listening to what your body wants — whether that means taking time off when you’re tired or eating more healthfully when you need more energy. When we honour our bodies’ needs, we feel better – both mentally and physically. This will make us happier in the long term.
Try Not to Take Out Stress or Frustration on Your Body
The first step toward taking care of your mind and body is to acknowledge the fact that you are amazing and deserve to feel good. You are strong, capable, and beautiful inside and out. What do you love about yourself? What do you want to do with your life?
It’s a new year, and chances are you’ve got some big goals for your body. It’s time to get yourself into a routine that feels good — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. You’re thinking of going to hit the gym more often, eat more vegetables and less sugar, drink less… We get it. You want to be healthier and feel better about yourself.
But before you go all-out and start making changes, remember one thing: your body is not your enemy. It’s not something that needs to be tamed or controlled. It’s just there for you to love and take care of. So try not to take out stress or frustration on your body by eating badly or indulging in too many drinks, smoking, and so on You don’t want to make things harder on yourself than they already are.
Nourish Your Body With What It Needs
You’re probably used to hearing about the importance of good nutrition, exercise and sleep. But what about quiet time? What does that even mean?
It means taking time for yourself — to meditate, read a book or just be by yourself. It means finding a place where you can turn off your phone and just be in your own head for a few minutes.
The world is filled with so many distractions, it’s hard to know what else to do but turn on the TV and watch Netflix. You might think you’re too busy to care about your health, or you don’t have time to exercise. But we’re here to tell you: if you want to feel great and look great, there is no better time than now.
So take some time out of your day today to do something that makes you feel calm and happy, even if it’s just sitting quietly in nature or listening to some music on headphones while you walk around town.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of The Gaggler.
