You are beautiful! Here's how to boost your self-confidence
Body image in our modern society is a large part of our daily life. We obsess over how we look and how we can look better.
With unrealistic expectations placed on us to reach an unachievable look, a worrying 90% of women are unhappy with their body image. This pressure causes a whole host of
This pressure causes a whole host of problems for people like eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts and general unhappiness.
1 in 3 women will experience ‘just a diet’ turning into pathological dieting, and almost all, 90%, feel a general unhappiness from negative body image. Considering the statistics you've probably felt this way too. It’s not fun and it’s stressful…. but it can be changed.
So how do you avoid something so prevalent in today’s society? Here are some tips for helping you find inner peace with your body image and confidence struggles.
Tip 1: Understand the definition of beauty and define it for yourself.
What is beauty? Can you define what beauty is? If you can define it, do your friends agree with your definition?
Well no, they may well not agree with you as beauty is subjective. Ever played “Rate the Celebrity” with your friends and found that someone who you find the epitome of beauty is the ugliest person in the eyes of your friend?
Well, it’s because beauty is subjective - in the eye of the beholder as they say.
Once you realise that there are so many forms of beauty in the world, your mind can expand past focusing solely on something that “they” believe you should be chasing to make yourself beautiful.
The western version of what society has decided to be ‘beautiful’, is typically blonde hair, tanned skin, skinny, big boobed etc.
But in societies in Africa for example, there are places where the bigger and the more voluptuous a women is, is seen as beautiful and men just do not want ‘thinner’ women.
Women in these societies actively go out of their way to eat to be bigger. This is an example of society defining beauty, not what you might define as beauty.
Of course, we are influenced by what our society, family and friends think. But what do you think is beautiful?
Maybe it’s time to figure out what you do find beautiful, and define it for yourself, rather than letting someone else define it for you.
Tip 2: Realise that physical beauty is fleeting - it’s what’s on the inside that counts
We all want to stay young and live forever! It's a beautiful fantasy, but one which unfortunately is not realistic.
One aspect of life you have to deal with is that cosmetic beauty is fleeting. At some stage you’ll get older and reflect on the times when you were young and you didn’t realise how gorgeous you really looked.
So be kind to your body and enjoy it!
Realise that inner beauty counts a lot! You should be proud of the person you are on the inside; confident in your abilities and just enjoy your youth because it is really quite spectacular.
Tip 3: Decide to be a beautiful person
A bit of tough love coming your way.
We can all whinge and moan that we aren’t pretty, skinny, tanned, better-looking people or we can just accept our bodies and looks for what they are and decide to feel beautiful. Sounds a bit crazy right?
Once you accept yourself for who you are and what you look like you open up a whole new area of possibilities.
The possibility of self-confidence, or feeling beautiful and good about yourself, the possibility of loving yourself for who you are rather than who you think people will love you for.
It’s a powerful tool - learning to accept you for who you are and bloody well enjoying it!
You only have one chance to be you. Be it, own it and enjoy it.