If you are anything like me, self-image and body positivity has always been a struggle. As someone who has battled with body dysmorphia, low self-esteem, and poor confidence for years, I know what it is like to feel trapped and imprisoned in your own negative thoughts. Growing up, I hated my body. I always worked out and I ate healthily, however, losing weight has never been easy for me. For many years, I always felt confused and sad when I looked in the mirror. Always asking myself, why isn’t this working for me? I was humiliated, angry, and feared judgment from anyone else. To feel more “comfortable” around others, I would hide away in oversized clothing and wear sweatshirts, even in the middle of a hot and humid Michigan summer.
The thought of even buying shorts made me anxious and I would honestly skip the process as a whole and resort to either jeans or Capri jeans. However, it wasn’t until last year when I decided enough was enough I needed to make a major mindset shift. I was sick of looking in the mirror and not liking who I was. Even when I began to lose weight and get healthier. It’s sad how our minds can trick us like that…
If you too have struggled with body positivity, you are not alone! These 5 simple tips have really improved my mindset over the past year, and aided greatly in my self-love journey! Here are the 5 ways to boost your body positivity!
1. Give yourself a compliment every morning
It may seem a little cheesy, but this is the easiest way to start! We all know how important it is to begin each day on a positive note right? So we journal our positive thoughts about the morning, we make a healthy breakfast, decide to exercise or meditate, etc. But instead of beginning our morning by focusing on the external positives, even though they are very important as well, why not begin internally? It’s so easy to look in the mirror and pick ourselves apart and judge our flaws. Let me let you in on a little secret, everybody has felt this way! However, it’s your choice if you want to look in the mirror and believe these things that you say to yourself.
I know that it’s much easier said than done, but I challenge YOU to start each morning by looking in the mirror and paying yourself at least one compliment! It can be anything! Maybe it’s the way your skin glows in the morning or your smile. Better yet, try complimenting a part of you that’s not physical. Your upbeat attitude, your kindness, the love you have for others, etc. Or you can compliment yourself on how you have chosen to stick with positive self-affirmations instead of negative ones!
2. Take care of your health and wellness
A major part of my journey has been the way that I approach my health and wellness. Of course, there will be days where I slip up. I may not be able to squeeze in a full hour workout, I might be way too busy in the morning to complete my entire wellness morning routine, but I am human. Things will always be changing and I will always be work in progress, but that is okay. It’s called balance!
For me, the simple act of completing even a 15-minute workout, adding collagen into my meals or practicing one form of self-care a day has made a world of differences. The thought of knowing that I am making these small, positive, and healthy changes to my overall well-being has played a big role in my self-confidence and positive attitude towards my body!
Related Post: “How to Start Loving Your Workouts! (7 Unique Ways)”
3. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people
Start paying attention to those around you, or those who are in your inner circle of friends that you see and talk to on a regular basis. Do these women genuinely support you and encourage you to be your best self? Do they make you feel strong, beautiful, and loved? For me, I began to notice a huge, positive difference in my overall self-image when I began to eliminate any toxic people in my life. And when I began surrounding myself and giving my attention to those who encourage me and make me feel so empowered and loved!
Another big way that you can do this right now is by following positive and encouraging people on social media. Try to stay away from those who make you feel bad about yourself, or less worthy. You don’t need them! When you start creating a new environment of supportive and uplifting individuals, I promise you will see a world of differences in your overall mood, positivity, and confidence.
4. Go outside of your comfort zone
What is something that may be holding you back? For me, it was the thought of wearing shorts in the summer. But guess what? I did it! I wore them while playing basketball with my boyfriend and to the grocery store lol. This may sound so small and silly to many people but let me tell you, that was incredibly out of my comfort zone. I only own one pair of shorts, and those are them. They are basic Nike athletic shorts that have been haunting me in my drawer since I bought them.
However, when I actually wore them out I noticed something. I wasn’t worried about others judging me, and I didn’t even look down at them and think about them once. I actually had fun playing basketball, and I no longer let my negative thoughts control me when I was in public. Allowing yourself to get out of your comfort zone and step out of that negative mindset is actually one of the best ways to grow and flourish!
5. Write yourself a love letter
Another challenge that I want you to try is to sit down, sometime today, and write yourself a love letter. Spend this time thinking about every unique and beautiful characteristic that makes you, YOU! Write the letter in the same way that you would write a gratitude letter to a friend, family member, or individual that you admire. What nice things would you say to them, what do you love about them, and what have they done to impact you or others around them? Now think about the same questions, and write a letter to yourself instead. What do you love about yourself, what makes you unique and beautiful, and what are some nice things that others would say about you?
Channel Your Inner BFF! 😉
In fact, you could even write this letter to yourself in the point of view of another individual. The reason behind this is so that you can look back at this letter and reread it. We all have bad days, and we all have our own insecurities. With that, sometimes it can be hard to tune out those negative thoughts about ourselves. This is when you can go back to your letter for positive reassurance and affirmations to help you remember just how loved, strong, beautiful and worthy you really are! Or when you just need a little boost of self-love!
Related Post: “How To Love Yourself And Build Your Inner Confidence”
If you have ever struggled or are struggling with body positivity, then I hope you found these 5 simple tips really helpful! And I hope they make a positive difference in the way that you view yourself! Remember, treat yourself the way you would want others to treat you! I know it’s easier said than done, but small changes like these can really make a mightly difference!
Which one of these 5 ways to boost your body positivity could you see yourself doing a little more often?
I would love to see them in the comments!
xo, Cydney
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