How to Develop a Positive Body Image
Love Your Body
Do you love your body? When the media bombards us with images of one perfect body type throughout our lives, how can we see our uniqueness in a positive way? We need to shake off the stereotype of what looks good and create our own view of it for ourselves. In this post, I will be exploring how to develop a positive body image.
It has just been recently that I have appreciated my body enough to consciously decide that I love it. I am grateful for what I was given and for the good health that I have had all my life.
As many say, it helps to think of all that your body has done for you. It may have birthed children, donated kidneys or bone marrow or at least blood, run marathons or just given you the joy of dancing. Age doesn’t matter.
I have always paid attention to nutrition and exercise, at some times better than at others. But keeping this in mind offers a better chance at lifelong health. A healthy body looks good and feels good which translates into doing more, feeling happier and looking better.
A smile and a loving heart are the most attractive things about you. Your style expresses your true self – from within to without. With a good diet, exercise, a loving spirit and your own unique style, any body can look good.
Make the Best of What You Have
I’ve written about this before, and would like to remind you to make the best of what you have. No body is perfect, it may just look like it. But behind closed doors, there are women getting treatments for what they don’t like and spending lots of money on playing up what they do like. The grass is always greener, but that’s precisely why I’m saying “make the best of what you have.” There’s someone out there who wishes they had what you have. Think about what that might be and embrace it.
Society has created its ideal image of what a beautiful woman looks like. Teenage girls are damaged by this and it doesn’t stop there; it goes on through life, in one way or another. Once a woman reaches a certain age, our society has deemed them “over the hill” and over being beautiful. Luckily, baby boomers are speaking out and demanding change. Women over 40, 50, 60 today are speaking out and doing things they’ve alway wanted to do. They are showing in a powerful way what it means to be beautiful all through life.
Angie Cox at You Look Fab wrote a good blog post on this subject. She said:
“Creating and maintaining a positive body image is not easy. Society bombards us with images of women who, for the most part, portray one body type: young, tall, slim and proportioned in a particular way…we need to find routes to positive body image despite society’s current bias.
As a fashion stylist who dresses woman of all sizes and body types, body image challenges are a huge reality in my line of work. So I’ve spent time helping women — my individual clients and women on our forum — to embrace their body so that they can move on to enjoy all the fun and reward that a style renewal or refresher has to offer. Although I have a degree in psychology, I am not a psychologist. But I have found that it helps to focus on three things when you confront your body image issues.”
Focus on 3 Things When Confronting Body Image Issues (from YLF)
1) STYLE IS NOT A DRESS SIZE
Style is a celebration of your true self. You don’t have to look like anything other than your best self.
2) YOUR BODY DESERVES LOVE AND RESPECT
Your body is an expression of you and lets you enjoy life.
3) BECOMING STYLISH IS LEARNING TO DRESS YOUR BODY
Knowing who you are and expressing that is style. For stand-out style, learn what makes you look best. It’s not the same for everyone. Wouldn’t that be awful to be a society of clones? What’s comfortable to you? If you love something but it doesn’t fit, have it tailored if possible. You deserve to look like the awesome person you truly are!
— From You Look Fab
In the end, when you stop judging yourself you will stop judging others and vice versa. Forgiveness is freeing; it frees you to love yourself and others. It can bring us to a place of positive vibes only.
Do you love your body? Do you need to work more on developing a positive body image? Is this helpful to you? Please leave a reply below.
This is the first in a series of Body Image posts. The next three are:
- “How to Be Modest in Absolutely Anything Bodycon“
- “What Is the Perfect Exercise Plan for Your Body Type?”
- “How to Easily Look as Slim as You Like”
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This post is linked up with the Link Up On The Edge at Shelbee on the Edge.
Thank you for visiting Your True Self Blog!
Angie
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