Well hello to you my reader chums! As many of you know, working on my body confidence and body acceptance is something I've been doing for years and I wouldn't say it's something I'm 100% therewith. Similar to self-love, improving your body image is a constant process and learning curve, and a journey most of us go through in our lives.
If you're looking for tips to improve your body confidence, here are some things which have helped me.
TW - Talking about eating disorders.
Know your body does so much for you
This point is probably something that has helped me the most. On the days when I'm feeling the least body confident, I remind myself of all the wonderful things my body does. It keeps me going without me having to do anything, it naturally heals, it's a defence barrier and ultimately, it's my shell. It's a part of me. Instead of focusing on the things you hate, think about what your body has done for you.
Dress for your figure
I cannot stress this point enough. The number of times I've tried to wear clothes I used to adore and when they've not looked right in the present, I got angry. But bodies change, it's all part of life. And that's where an exciting shopping trip can fit in. Buy clothes which compliment your figure. Choose an outfit which makes you feel good and confident. There are so many body types and once you learn how best to compliment that, you'll be a new person.
Don't put yourself down for changing weight (it's normal)
This is something I wrote about recently, how body changes are normal. Now being 26, my body has changed a lot in the last year and the constant reminder of 'this is normal', has helped me a lot. I'd say it has helped always but that's a lie, however, it does give me reassurance when I need it. Cellulite is normal. Gaining weight is normal. Growing boobs is normal. Getting curves is normal. It's all part of growing older. Embrace it.
Your body is the least interesting thing about you
A favourite point of mine and one that has done wonders in my journey. We are so much more than our bodies. We are our unique personalities. We are our passions. We are our goals. We are our dreams. We are who is around us. Focus on those elements and the things you're grateful for. It'll do wonders for a mindset change.
Compliment your body
Affirmations are key to switching a mindset and this includes when it comes to your body. Set up daily affirmations to practise that and say good things about your body. Try and compliment it when you can throughout the day. From complimenting your outfit, to hyping up the natural skin you're in, the more compliments, the better.
Avoid clothes you're not comfortable in
You are not designed to fit in clothes, it's about finding the clothes which fit you and your body type. Avoid clothes which make you feel uncomfortable or don't accentuate your amazing body. Instead, focus on the items which you can rock with confidence.
Eat what makes you feel good
Eating can be a trigger for many people, especially those who have eating disorders, or disordered eating or have experienced either in the past. I'm not going to talk about eating disorders because I'm not trained in any sense to. However, what I mean by this point, for those who don't have issues around eating is to eat what makes your body feel good. If you find chocolate is making you feel sluggish but a hearty bowl of pasta boosts up your mood, choose the pasta. It's all about finding the foods which complement your mind and body.
Delete people on social media who affect you negatively
We all know the negative impacts of social media on our bodies. The picture-perfect people we're all shown constantly aren't great for our own body image. Normal bodies are more common than we think and what you should focus on. Delete the people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself and follow those who boost your confidence and promote normal bodies.
Stop comparing your body to its younger version
I can't be alone in saying I've done this way too many times. As I've mentioned, bodies change and that's okay. Avoid fixating on what you used to look like and appreciate what you look like now. It's important for us to grow and evolve and that's the same for our bodies too. We're grown-ups now and our bodies match that.
Accept you're going to have good and bad body days
Working on your body image isn't easy. There will be days when you feel kike you've taken a few steps back and days when you'll zoom forward. This is all normal in any healing process. Embrace it and know you're going to be okay. Your body is gorgeous just the way it is.
I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips do you have?
Thank you for reading <3
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Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful in anyway. I'd love to hear any feedback you may have.