Let’s face it; we all wake up some days and don’t feel entirely happy with what we see in the mirror. For some people body dissatisfaction is a constant struggle that they simply learn to live with on a day to day basis. There is no doubt that getting to a place in your life in which you can not only accept but love yourself is extremely challenging. Though we can’t pretend that all the answers will be here in this article, you may find some advice which helps you in some small way to make your journey to body confidence that little bit easier.
Look Differently in the Mirror
If you are used to looking in the mirror and criticising yourself for all the things that you perceive as wrong, you need to start retraining your mind. Start by identifying all the things that you like about your body – even if they are only small features. You could even put some positive notes on the mirror to remind yourself on a daily basis. When you start hearing that negative voice in your head, realise that no one else will be judging you this harshly and identify just how impossible the standards that you are trying to hold yourself to are.
Look to Art Rather Than the Media
Though media images are starting to change gradually these days, they are still heavily dominated by what is considered the ‘perfect’ standard of beauty, which essentially only accepts a single body type. Instead, you could look at art collections to see all the different forms of beauty which people have appreciated over the years.
Influence What You Can
Though there are some parts of your body that are difficult to change, there are certainly some things that you can influence. If you aren’t doing enough exercise, this is a great way to both improve your body and your mood over all. There are also various surgical and non-surgical options out there. But remember, feeling happier in your body is all about the mental changes that you make as well as the physical ones.
Watch Out for Social Media
While social media can be a great tool for getting news and keeping in touch with those close to you, it can also be damaging to your body image if you use it too much. So, if social media is playing a big part in getting you down, you should try to limit your time using it. You will only end up trying to live up to the impossible standards of others.
Confront Mental Health Issues
If you suffer from any recurring mental health issues, rather than shying away from them, you need to confront them in the most direct way that you can. Anxiety and depression can be crippling, but you can get support with them with professional mental health counseling. As well as the changes that you can make to your lifestyle, you may even need professional guidance and a medical solution. And when you start dealing with mental health issues in a more positive way, the route to happiness should become that little bit easier.
Stop Pleasing Others
So many people are naturally inclined to please others that they don’t think about themselves. And while there is nothing wrong with putting others first from time to time, this becomes an issue if it is impacting your sense of happiness. Essentially, you should try to focus on the needs of yourself and your family to start off with. Everyone else should be treated as secondary, and if there are any toxic influencers in your life, you should limit their involvement as much as possible.
Look After Yourself Physically
Physical wellbeing inevitably plays a big role in your happiness as well. The food that you eat, the amount of sleep that you get and the substances that you put in your body are just a few things which can make an impact. Perhaps you suffer from a recurring issue like migraines. The lifestyle adjustments that you make to look after your body can then transfer to your mental health as well.
Don’t Let Fear Paralyse You
It is a natural trait of being a human that you have a little voice in your head telling you everything that could potentially go wrong when you put yourself in a certain situation. And while there is nothing wrong with being cautious, if you let fear overcome your life, you will never be able to take the risks that help you to move forward.
Be Your Own Champion
Don’t expect that anyone will automatically put themselves ahead of you. If you don’t stand up for yourself, nobody else is going to do it for you. So, learn to be more positive and champion your own positive qualities rather than being overly negative all the time.
Though being happier with what you see in the mirror is never going to be the easiest journey in the world, these are just a few of the things that you can do to make the path that little bit smoother.
